sporulate

American  

[spawr-yuh-leyt, spor-] / ˈspɔr yəˌleɪt, ˈspɒr- /

verb (used without object)

Biology.

sporulated, sporulating

1. to produce spores.

---

sporulate British  

/ ˈspɒrjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. (intr) to produce spores, esp by multiple fission

---

Other Word Forms

• sporulation noun

Etymology

Origin of sporulate

First recorded in 1880–85; sporule + -ate ¹

Example Sentences

They might emerge and sporulate, as the kits had done, sending microscopic sentinels zooming around the room.

From New York Times

Prior to the assay, all species were subjected to ethanol shock and were cultured anaerobically to determine their ability to sporulate.

From Nature

The symptoms of the disease were plain to see in scars on the trunk and skeletal canopies, but the source of the infection - the sporulating fungus - had not been found in Britain.

From BBC

Many bacteria sporulate and disinfectants are useless against them and to differences in virus and fungus make-up they can also be less effective against these agents too, but, most importantly, are often toxic.

From Scientific American

When conditions get too hot or cold, sporulating bacteria go into stasis, encasing themselves in tough structures called endospores.

From Scientific American