galvanize

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

    Learned borrowing from French galvaniser. By surface analysis, galvano- + -ize. Named after Italian physiologist Luigi Aloisio Galvani (1737–1798).

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ˈɡæɫvənaɪ̯z/
    • Audio (US):(file)

    Verb

    galvanize (third-person singular simple present galvanizes, present participle galvanizing, simple past and past participle galvanized) (transitive)

    1. (loosely, dated) To coat with a layer of metal by electrochemical means.
      Synonyms: electrogalvanize, electroplate
      Hyponyms: hot-dip < zinc (rare)
      1. (usually) To coat with a layer of zinc (for rust resistance) by electrochemical means.
        Synonyms: electrogalvanize, zinc (rare)
        Hypernym: electroplate
        Hyponym: hot-dip
        We then galvanize the steel so that the zinc coating will sacrificially take the corrosion for many years.
    2. (figurative) To shock or stimulate into sudden activity, as if by electric shock.
      Synonyms: animate, electrify, startle, urge; see also Thesaurus:thrill, Thesaurus:incite
      The girl’s picture helped galvanize public opinion against the administration’s policy.
      Republicans are hoping a proposed gas-tax repeal will galvanize their voters.
      • 2017, BioWare, Mass Effect: Andromeda (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Angara: The Resistance Codex entry:
        The arrival of the kett stunned and then divided the angara. As described by Jaal, infighting was used as a means of conquest by the kett, but the presence of a common enemy eventually galvanized the angara to work together. The various resistance groups merged into the organized Angaran Resistance roughly five years ago under Evfra de Tershaav's command, supported by prominent families and determined to stop their kett oppressors.
      • 2025 February 6, Taylor Luck, Ghada Abdulfattah, “How Trump’s proposed plan for Gaza has united an outraged Arab world”, in The Christian Science Monitor‎[1], Boston, Massachusetts: Christian Science Publishing Society, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 25 January 2026:
        U.S. President Donald Trump’s bombshell proposal to take over the Gaza Strip and relocate its Palestinian inhabitants has made the forced transfer of populations – a war crime – a policy discussion, galvanizing Arab states.
    3. (archaic) To electrify, as by galvanism.
      Synonyms: electricalize, electricize, electrize
      • 1835, Thomas Babington Macaulay, History (essay in the Edinburgh Review)
        The agitations resembled the grinnings and writhings of a galvanized corpse, not the struggles of an athletic man.
    4. (historical, US) To switch sides between Union and Confederate in the American Civil War.
      • 1998, Tony Horwitz, Confederates in the Attic, 1st Vintage Departures edition, Vintage Books, →ISBN, page 10:
        Reenactors called this “galvanizing,” the Civil War term for soldiers who switched sides during the conflict.

    Usage notes

    Galvanism and galvanization refer to two entirely distinct processes both named for Galvani; both processes have taken the verb "to galvanize" which can thus mean either "to coat with metal" (today, specifically, "to coat with zinc") or "to electrify muscle tissue".

    Derived terms

    Translations

    Portuguese

    Verb

    galvanize

    1. inflection of galvanizar:
      1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
      2. third-person singular imperative

    Turkish

    Etymology

    Etymology tree
    French galvaniséder.
    Ottoman Turkish غالوانیزه
    Turkish galvanize

      Inherited from Ottoman Turkish غالوانیزه, from French galvanisé.

      Pronunciation

      • IPA(key): /ɡal.va.ni.ze/

      Adjective

      galvanize

      1. galvanized (coated with zinc)
        Synonym: galvanizli
      • galvaniz
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