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definitions

conjugate

[verb kon-juh-geyt; adjective, noun kon-juh-git, -geyt]
See more synonyms for conjugate on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object), con·ju·gat·ed, con·ju·gat·ing.
  1. Grammar.
    1. to inflect (a verb).
    2. to recite or display all or some subsets of the inflected forms of (a verb), in a fixed order: One conjugates the present tense of the verb “be” as “I am, you are, he is, we are, you are, they are.”
  2. to join together, especially in marriage.
verb (used without object), con·ju·gat·ed, con·ju·gat·ing.
  1. Biology. to unite; to undergo conjugation.
  2. Grammar. to be characterized by conjugation: The Latin verb esse does not conjugate in the passive voice.
adjective
  1. joined together, especially in a pair or pairs; coupled.
  2. Botany. (of a pinnate leaf) having only one pair of leaflets.
  3. Grammar. (of words) having a common derivation.
  4. Bibliography. (of two leaves in a book) forming one sheet.
  5. Mathematics.
    1. (of two points, lines, etc.) so related as to be interchangeable in the enunciation of certain properties.
    2. (of an element) so related to a second element of a group that there exists a third element of the group that, multiplying one element on the right and the other element on the left, results in equal elements.
    3. (of two complex numbers) differing only in the sign of the imaginary part.
  6. Chemistry.
    1. of or noting two or more liquids in equilibrium with one another.
    2. (of an acid and a base) related by the loss or gain of a proton: NH3 is a base conjugate to NH4+. NH4+ is an acid conjugate to NH3.
    3. Also con·ju·gat·ed.(of an organic compound) containing two or more double bonds each separated from the other by a single bond.
noun
  1. one of a group of conjugate words.
  2. Mathematics.
    1. either of two conjugate points, lines, etc.
    2. Also called complex conjugate, conjugate complex number.either of a pair of complex numbers of the type a + bi and a − bi, where a and b are real numbers and i is imaginary.

Origin of conjugate

1425–75; late Middle English (adj.) < Latin conjugātus (past participle of conjugāre to yoke together), equivalent to con- con- + jug(um) yoke1 + -ātus -ate1
Related formscon·ju·ga·ble [kon-juh-guh-buh l] /ˈkɒn dʒə gə bəl/, adjectivecon·ju·ga·bly, adverbcon·ju·ga·tive, adjectivecon·ju·ga·tor, nounmis·con·ju·gate, verb, mis·con·ju·gat·ed, mis·con·ju·gat·ing.non·con·ju·gate, adjective, nounun·con·ju·gat·ed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for conjugate

consolidate, conjoin, unify, associate, bind, marry, affix, unite, attach, link, adjoin, compound, join, couple, meld, connect

Examples from the Web for conjugate

Historical Examples of conjugate

  • Conjugate: to bring together in pairs: consisting of a single pair.

  • As to you, 'new boy,' you will conjugate 'ridiculus sum' twenty times.

    Madame Bovary

    Gustave Flaubert

  • I will not spare you,” said I; “this evening I intend to make you conjugate an Armenian verb.

    The Romany Rye

    George Borrow

  • Thirsting to be amused, he could not conjugate the active verb "to amuse."

    Godolphin, Complete

    Edward Bulwer-Lytton

  • Even Murray can only afford to conjugate one example,—To Love.

British Dictionary definitions for conjugate

conjugate

verb (ˈkɒndʒʊˌɡeɪt)
  1. (tr) grammar to inflect (a verb) systematically; state or set out the conjugation of (a verb)
  2. (intr) (of a verb) to undergo inflection according to a specific set of rules
  3. (tr) to join (two or more substances) together, esp in such a way that the resulting substance may easily be turned back into its original components
  4. (intr) biology to undergo conjugation
  5. (tr) obsolete to join together, esp in marriage
adjective (ˈkɒndʒʊɡɪt, -ˌɡeɪt)
  1. joined together in pairs; coupled
  2. (Maths)
    1. (of two angles) having a sum of 360°
    2. (of two complex numbers) differing only in the sign of the imaginary part as 4 + 3i and 4 – 3i
    3. (of two algebraic numbers) being roots of the same irreducible algebraic equation with rational coefficients3 ± 2 √2 are conjugate algebraic numbers, being roots of x² – 6 x + 1
    4. (of two elements of a square matrix) interchanged when the rows and columns are interchanged
    5. (of two arcs) forming a complete circle or other closed curved figure
  3. chem of, denoting, or concerning the state of equilibrium in which two liquids can exist as two separate phases that are both solutions. The liquid that is the solute in one phase is the solvent in the other
  4. another word for conjugated
  5. chem (of acids and bases) related by loss or gain of a protonCl – is the conjugate base of HCl; HCl is the conjugate acid of Cl –
  6. physics
    1. joined by a reciprocal relationship, such as in the case of two quantities, points, etc, that are interchangeable with respect to the properties of each of them
    2. (of points connected with a lens) having the property that an object placed at one point will produce an image at the other point
  7. (of a compound leaf) having one pair of leaflets
  8. (of words) cognate; related in origin
noun (ˈkɒndʒʊɡɪt)
  1. one of a pair or set of conjugate substances, values, quantities, words, etc
Derived Formsconjugable, adjectiveconjugately, adverbconjugateness, nounconjugative, adjectiveconjugator, noun

Word Origin for conjugate

C15: from Latin conjugāre to join together, from com- together + jugāre to marry, connect, from jugum a yoke
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for conjugate
v.

1520s, in grammatical sense; 1560s in literal sense, from Latin coniugatus, past participle of coniugare "to yoke together" (see conjugal). Earlier as an adjective (late 15c.). Related: Conjugated; conjugating.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
conjugate in Medicine

conjugate

[kŏn′jə-gāt′]
v.
  1. To undergo conjugation.
adj.
  1. Joined together, especially in pairs.
  2. Pertaining to an acid and a base that are related by the difference of a proton.
n.
  1. A distance between the points on the periphery of the pelvic canal, especially the promontory of the sacrum and the upper edge of the pubic symphysis.anteroposterior diameter conjugate diameter conjugate of inlet internal conjugate true conjugate
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.