Galvanise

verb (transitive)

/ˈɡæl.və.naɪz/

To shock or spur (a person or group) into sudden, decisive action, as if by an electric jolt. In its literal sense it means to coat metal (typically iron or steel) with a protective layer of zinc by an electrochemical process.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

The mass mobilisation against the colonial salt tax did more than defy an unjust levy; it galvanised a fragmented populace into a single, purposeful national movement.

Synonyms

spurstimulaterouseenergiseelectrifyinvigorate

Antonyms

deterdiscouragedampendemoralise

🌱 Word Family

galvanised (adj), galvanising (v pres.p), galvanism (n), galvanic (adj), galvanisation (n)

🔡 Root

French galvaniser; eponym from Luigi Galvani (1737–1798), Italian physiologist who studied bioelectricity

📜 Etymology

From French galvaniser, from galvanisme, named after Italian physiologist Luigi Galvani (1737-1798), who pioneered the study of electrical effects on animal tissue; figurative sense "to stimulate as if by electricity" recorded from 1853.

🧠 Memory Hook

Think of Luigi GALVANI jolting frog legs with electricity until they twitched to life: to galvanise is to deliver that same electric shock that spurs people into sudden action.

👥 Society 📖 Seen in: Indian Society — Diversity, Demographi...

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