imbricate

American  

[im-bri-kit, -keyt, im-bri-keyt] / ˈɪm brɪ kɪt, -ˌkeɪt, ˈɪm brɪˌkeɪt /

adjective

1. overlapping in sequence, as tiles or shingles on a roof.

2. of, relating to, or resembling overlapping tiles, as decoration or drawings.

3. Biology. overlapping like tiles, as scales or leaves.

4. characterized by or as if by overlapping shingles.

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verb (used with or without object)

imbricated, imbricating

1. to overlap, as tiles or shingles.

imbricate British  

adjective

1. architect relating to or having tiles, shingles, or slates that overlap

2. botany (of leaves, scales, etc) overlapping each other

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verb

1. (tr) to decorate with a repeating pattern resembling scales or overlapping tiles

Other Word Forms

• imbricately adverb
• imbrication noun
• imbricative adjective
• nonimbricate adjective
• nonimbricated adjective
• nonimbricately adverb
• nonimbricating adjective
• nonimbricative adjective
• subimbricate adjective
• subimbricated adjective
• subimbricately adverb
• subimbricative adjective

Etymology

Origin of imbricate

1650–60; < Late Latin imbricātus tiled with imbrices, shaped like such a tile or tiling, equivalent to imbric- (stem of imbrex ) imbrex + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

The pileus is sessile, or sometimes narrowed at the base into a short stem, the caps often numerous and crowded together in an overlapping or imbricate manner.

From Studies of American Fungi. Mushrooms, Edible, Poisonous, etc. by Atkinson, George Francis

Branches clustered; leaves loose, imbricate on the branches, round-ovate, entire; perianth pyriform, slightly compressed and repand, smooth, obscurely carinate beneath and gibbous toward the apex.

From The Manual of the Botany of the Northern United States Including the District East of the Mississippi and North of North Carolina and Tennessee by Gray, Asa

Sepals and petals colored alike, in three or more rows of three, imbricate.

From The Manual of the Botany of the Northern United States Including the District East of the Mississippi and North of North Carolina and Tennessee by Gray, Asa

Palpi very short, curved, hardly projecting beyond the head, closely compressed on the tongue, entirely covered with close imbricate scales, the tip naked.

From Zoological Illustrations, Volume I or Original Figures and Descriptions of New, Rare, or Interesting Animals by Swainson, William

Sepals and petals in twos or threes, imbricate.

From The Manual of the Botany of the Northern United States Including the District East of the Mississippi and North of North Carolina and Tennessee by Gray, Asa