copulate

American  

[kop-yuh-leyt, kop-yuh-lit] / ˈkɒp yəˌleɪt, ˈkɒp yə lɪt /

verb (used without object)

copulated, copulating

1. to engage in sexual intercourse.

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adjective

1. connected; joined.

copulate British  

/ ˈkɒpjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. (intr) to perform sexual intercourse

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Other Word Forms

• copulation noun
• copulatory adjective

Etymology

Origin of copulate

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin cōpulātus bound together. See copula, -ate ¹

Example Sentences

For example, male peacocks with spectacularly feathered tails get sexually selected more often to copulate with fertile females than do less well-ornamented males.

From Salon • Jun. 19, 2022

Now, they have more information on how adults copulate, when they come back to feed their young, and how often they incubate the chicks.

From Slate • Apr. 29, 2021

“The diseased males will also attempt to copulate with the uninfected females, exposing them to even more spores,” UConn’s research team said in a statement.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 4, 2020

About five percent of crows will attempt to copulate with other crows that have joined the choir invisible.

From Scientific American • Jul. 30, 2018

So the birds and all the others of every sort assembled, and learnt from the Creator when to copulate, and when to give birth to their young.

From Aino Folk-Tales by Chamberlain, Basil Hall