propagation
Americannoun
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the act of propagating.
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the fact of being propagated.
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multiplication by natural reproduction.
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transmission or dissemination.
- Synonyms:
- diffusion, dispersion
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of propagation
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English propagacyon, from Latin propāgātiōn-, stem of propāgātiō; equivalent to propagate + -ion
Explanation
If your dog is about to have puppies, then she's engaged in the propagation of dogs, the creation of new life to further the species. Propagation has two main uses, both having to do with multiplying something. If it's used in relation to creatures, that means that the creatures are multiplying — having kids. A synonym for this is procreation. You can also use propagation for anything that multiplies and spreads through larger and larger numbers or spaces — from the propagation of weeds in your garden to the propagation of a new idea. In physics, propagation is wave movement.
Vocabulary lists containing propagation
Their Eyes Were Watching God
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"A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift
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A Brief History of Time
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For the early calculations, Tindall used belief propagation, an algorithm developed in the 1980s that researchers have recently adapted for quantum systems.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
By combining material flow analysis with a multilayer shock propagation model, researchers found that risks often originate in upstream parts of the supply chain but become most severe at key refining and manufacturing bottlenecks.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 20, 2026
Centuries of human intervention - selective breeding and propagation - have made the genetic background of many commercial orchids a "disaster", according to leading Dutch orchid breeding firm Floricultura.
From BBC ● May 14, 2026
By contrast, the American propagation of individual rights and democracy has, from the beginning, supplemented and occasionally replaced such considerations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 26, 2026
He published prolifically; his areas of interest, which included the propagation of electron beams and their usefulness as ionization agents, were among the most intriguing in physics; and his resourceful laboratory technique was widely praised.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
