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

Marsiliaceæ, 700 Sporocarps sessile beneath the stem; small, floating, pinnately branched, with minute imbricate leaves.

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

The anterior notch Ph.N. is similar to that in Limulus, whilst the imbricate triangular pieces of the posterior median region resemble the similarly-placed structures of Limulus in a striking manner.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 3 "Apollodorus" to "Aral" by Various

The imbricate and the convolute modes sometimes vary one into the other, especially in the corolla.

From The Elements of Botany For Beginners and For Schools by Gray, Asa

In all of the specimens the middorsal scales are keeled and much smaller than the smooth pavementlike or slightly imbricate ventrals.

From The Amphibians and Reptiles of Michoacán, México by Duellman, William E.

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