First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
incite
verb in·cite \in-ˈsīt\
: to cause (someone) to act in an angry, harmful, or violent way
: to cause (an angry, harmful, or violent action or feeling)
in·cit·edin·cit·ing
Full Definition of INCITE
transitive verb
: to move to action : stir up : spur on : urge on
— in·cit·ant \-ˈsī-tənt\ noun
— in·cite·ment \-ˈsīt-mənt\ noun
— in·cit·er noun
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Origin of INCITE
Middle French inciter, from Latin incitare, from in- + citare to put in motion — more at cite
Related to INCITE
Synonym Discussion of INCITE
incite, instigate, abet, foment mean to spur to action. incite stresses a stirring up and urging on, and may or may not imply initiating <inciting a riot>. instigate definitely implies responsibility for initiating another's action and often connotes underhandedness or evil intention <instigated a conspiracy>. abet implies both assisting and encouraging <aiding and abetting the enemy>. foment implies persistence in goading <fomenting rebellion>.
Rhymes with INCITE
affright, air right, airtight, albite, Albright, alight, all right, all-night, a mite, aright, backbite, backlight, bauxite, bedight, birthright, black light, bleed white, bobwhite, bombsight, box kite, calcite, campsite, catfight, cockfight, contrite, cordite, Cushite, daylight, deadlight, delight, dendrite, despite, dogfight, downlight, downright, droplight, dust mite, earthlight, excite, eyebright, eyesight, fanlight, felsite, ferrite, finite, fire blight, firefight, firelight, first night, fistfight, flashlight, fleabite, floodlight, foresight, forthright, fortnight, freewrite, frostbite, Gadite, gall mite, gaslight, gastight, ghostwrite, goethite, graphite, green light, gummite, gunfight, half-light, halite, Hamite, handwrite, headlight, highlight, hindsight, Hittite, homesite, hoplite, Hussite, ignite, illite, infight, in-flight, indict, indite, insight, in sight, invite, jacklight, jadeite, key light, lamplight, late blight, leucite, Levite, lighttight, lignite, limelight, lintwhite, lowlight, Lucite, Luddite, lyddite, marmite, Melchite, Memphite, midnight, millwright, moonlight, New Right, night-light, nitrite, off-site, off-white, on sight, on-site, outright, outsight, partite, peep sight, penlight, perlite, playwright, polite, preflight, prizefight, pyrite, quartzite, ratite, recite, red light, red-light, requite, respite, rewrite, rushlight, rust mite, safelight, samite, searchlight, Semite, Servite, Shemite, Shiite, shipwright, sidelight, sit tight, skintight, skylight, skywrite, slant height, smectite, snakebite, snow-white, sound bite, spaceflight, spotlight, stage fright, starlight, sternite, sticktight, stoplight, streetlight, stylite, sulfite, sunlight, Sunnite, taillight, termite, thermite, tonight, torchlight, trothplight, Twelfth Night, twilight, twi-night, typewrite, unite, unsight, upright, uptight, wainwright, watch night, wax light, Web site, weeknight, wheelwright, white flight, white knight, x-height, zinc white
INCITE Defined for Kids
incite
verb in·cite \in-ˈsīt\
in·cit·edin·cit·ing
Definition of INCITE for Kids
: to stir up usually harmful or violent action or feeling <The news incited panic.>
Medical Dictionary
incite
transitive verb in·cite \in-ˈsīt\
in·cit·edin·cit·ing
Medical Definition of INCITE
: to bring into being : induce to exist or occur <organisms that readily incited antibody formation>
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