germinate

American  

[jur-muh-neyt] / ˈdʒɜr məˌneɪt /

verb (used without object)

germinated, germinating

1. to begin to grow or develop.

2. Botany.

   1. to develop into a plant or individual, as a seed, spore, or bulb.

   2. to put forth shoots; sprout; pullulate.

3. to come into existence; begin.

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verb (used with object)

germinated, germinating

1. to cause to develop; produce.

2. to cause to come into existence; create.

germinate British  

/ ˈdʒɜːmɪˌneɪt /

verb

1. to cause (seeds or spores) to sprout or (of seeds or spores) to sprout or form new tissue following increased metabolism

2. to grow or cause to grow; develop

3. to come or bring into existence; originate

   the idea germinated with me

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Other Word Forms

• germinable adjective
• germination noun
• germinator noun
• nongerminating adjective
• nongermination noun
• regerminate verb
• regermination noun
• ungerminated adjective
• ungerminating adjective

Etymology

Origin of germinate

1600–10; < Latin germinātus (past participle of germināre to sprout, bud), equivalent to germin- ( germinal ) + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

And while the concept for the memorial is still germinating, Nina has already pinned down the title.

From BBC

But wildflowers also need at least six weeks of coolish weather to grow after they germinate.

From Los Angeles Times

Jumping straight into a list of major to-dos would leave little time for ideas to germinate.

From The Wall Street Journal

Those were the starter trees that spread the seed that had germinated and was now thriving in the open sunlight.

From Los Angeles Times

For example, some seeds in the soil rely on heat shock or smoke to germinate.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• sprout