germination

American  

[jurm-uhn-ayshuhn] / ˌdʒɜrm ənˈeɪʃən /

noun

plural

germinations

1. the process of germinating or of beginning to exist and develop; the very first stage of the development of anything.

2. Botany. the process by which a seed, spore, or bulb becomes a plant.

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germination Scientific  

/ jûr′mə-nā′shən /

1. The beginning of growth, as of a seed, spore, or bud. The germination of most seeds and spores occurs in response to warmth and water.

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Closer Look

Dormant seeds are very dry and require the absorption of water to initiate the metabolic processes of respiration and begin to digest their stored food. Respiration requires the presence of oxygen, which must be sufficiently available in the soil for germination to proceed, so the soil must be wet but not so waterlogged as to make oxygen inaccessible. Temperatures must be above freezing (zero degrees Celsius) but not excessively hot (not more than about 45 degrees Celsius). If conditions are right, a radicle (an embryonic root) emerges from the seed coat, anchoring the seed; it then grows and puts out lateral roots. In most eudicots, a part of the developing stem, either the epicotyl (the stem above the cotyledons) or the hypocotyl (the stem below the cotyledons) elongates, forming a hook and gradually pulling the seed coat and the delicate shoot tip above the soil surface. Germination of eudicot seeds is normally divided into two types, designated epigeous and hypogeous. In epigeous germination, the cotyledons emerge above the soil surface, and wither and drop off after their food stores have been used up; in hypogeous germination, the cotyledons remain below the surface and decompose after their food stores have been used up. In most monocots, food is stored in the seed's endosperm (rather than the cotyledon), and it is the single tubular cotyledon that elongates and draws the seed coat out of the soil. The cotyledon conducts photosynthesis, making more food, while the shoot grows up inside the tube.

Other Word Forms

• cross-germination noun
• nongermination noun
• post-germination adverb
• pre-germination noun

Explanation

The process of a seed sprouting is called germination. In biology class, you might conduct an experiment to see which factors affect the germination of radish seeds. Inside every seed is a tiny baby plant that stays there, protected by the seed's coat, until it's ready for germination. Germination can start when moisture penetrates the seed and the air and soil temperature is high enough for the plant to grow. You can also use this word for a figurative type of sprouting: "That class was perfect for the germination of new ideas." The word germination comes from the Latin germinationem, "a sprouting forth or budding."

Example Sentences

The adult plants are known to rely on a certain type of fungi that develop structures within the plant's roots, but whether these same fungi also help with germination has not been established.

From Science Daily • Oct. 8, 2025

"They wanted to play and build stuff. They were making houses or ships or scenery, and they wanted to jump in, and all of that learning was the germination of Roblox," he says.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2025

While thinning can reduce fuels, burning also provides ecological benefits not provided by thinning alone, like creating growing space and receptive seedbeds, promoting germination of seeds stored in soil and increasing nutrient availability.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 20, 2024

The ecosystem’s success once relied on periodic fires, which would promote germination of pine seeds and reduce invasive plants, among other benefits.

From National Geographic • Dec. 7, 2023

He had a pragmatic, farmer-like knowledge of how weather conditions affected growth, germination, blooming times, et cetera.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

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