ovulate

[ov-yuh-leyt, oh-vyuh-leyt-]

verb (used without object)

Biology.

ovulated, ovulating 

1. to produce and discharge eggs from an ovary or ovarian follicle.

ovulate

/ ˈɒvjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. (intr) to produce or discharge eggs from an ovary

Other Word Forms

• ovulation noun
• ovulatory adjective
• multiovulate adjective
• multiovulated adjective
• preovulatory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ovulate¹

First recorded in 1860–65; ovule + -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of ovulate¹

C19: from _ovule

Example Sentences

The process doesn’t require a patient to be ovulating, like egg freezing does, which means a patient doesn’t have to undergo hormone treatments.

Read more on Salon

Among the findings, the atlas reveals that roughly one hour before an egg is released, the follicles undergo an additional layer of selection to determine which ones will ovulate.

Read more on Science Daily

She notes that females add kilograms when they ovulate and lactate.

Read more on Science Magazine

“Sometimes I wake up, and maybe it’s a fun day of my cycle, I’m ovulating, full of energy, and I can put on the hot girl mentality,” she says.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In the other, the whales weren’t pregnant during the first massive progesterone surge, but were instead experiencing a prolonged state of estrus or ovulating.

Read more on New York Times