proliferate

[ pruh-lif-uh-reyt ]

verb (used with or without object)

proliferated, proliferating.

1. to grow or produce by multiplication of parts, as in budding or cell division, or by procreation.
2. to increase in number or spread rapidly and often excessively.

proliferate

/ prəˈlɪfəˌreɪt /

verb

1. to grow or reproduce (new parts, cells, etc) rapidly
2. to grow or increase or cause to grow or increase rapidly

Derived Forms

• proˈliferative, adjective

Other Words From

• pro·lifer·ative adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of proliferate¹

First recorded in 1870–75; prolifer(ous) + -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of proliferate¹

C19: from Medieval Latin prōlifer having offspring, from Latin prōlēs offspring + ferre to bear

Example Sentences

Moreover, a shocking number of indicators suggest life in California has grown considerably harder for the Latino working class since the mid-1990s even as Latino representation has proliferated at every level of government.

From Los Angeles Times

Climate assemblies have also proliferated at both national and local levels.

From Salon

"That concerns me because I think the amount this is being proliferated on social media is affecting the public imagination of what psychotherapy is."

From Salon

These cells grow and proliferate, eventually maturing into 3D tissue over the course of several weeks.

From Science Daily

If the incoming administration abandons Kyiv, Russia’s ambitions will explode and nuclear weapons will proliferate.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• breed
• burgeon
• escalate
• generate
• multiply
• mushroom
• propagate
• reproduce
• snowball