intenerate
verb
in·ten·er·ate in-ˈte-nə-ˌrāt 
intenerated; intenerating
transitive verb
: to make tender : soften
inteneration
in-ˌte-nə-ˈrā-shən
noun 
Word History
Etymology
in- entry 2 + Latin tener soft, tender — more at tender entry 1
First Known Use
1576, in the meaning defined above