flagellate

1 of 3

verb

flag·​el·​late ˈfla-jə-ˌlāt 

flagellated; flagellating

transitive verb

1

: whip, scourge

2

: to drive or punish as if by whipping

flagellate

2 of 3

adjective

fla·​gel·​late ˈfla-jə-lət  ˈfla-jə-ˌlāt  flə-ˈje-lət 

1

a

: having flagella

b

: shaped like a flagellum

2

[flagellate entry 3] : of, relating to, or caused by flagellates

flagellate diarrhea

flagellate

3 of 3

noun

fla·​gel·​late ˈfla-jə-lət  ˈfla-jə-ˌlāt  flə-ˈje-lət 

: a flagellate protozoan or alga

Synonyms

Verb

• birch
• cowhide
• flail
• flog
• hide
• horsewhip
• lash
• leather
• rawhide
• scourge
• slash
• switch
• tan
• thrash
• whale
• whip

Examples of flagellate in a Sentence

Verb

some medieval monks believed it was necessary to flagellate themselves in order to keep their desires in check

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Pop stars being badasses, as ever, but expressing doubt, and doing it without the flagellating self-destruction that might have come with an early iteration. —Susannah Felts, Longreads, 27 Apr. 2023

For Logan, none of these self-flagellating exercises mattered. —Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2023

Adjective

Aiden needs neither hair shirt nor whip to self-flagellate, and Simone writes of depression with a visceral ache. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 11 Nov. 2021

How small is too small for someone with a shrinking fetish?), Gupta and Gelula begin to self-flagellate, blaming themselves for being too lazy to do research or for stumbling into some ridiculous malapropism. —Sean Malin, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2021

Noun

To comically self-flagellate? —Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 3 Mar. 2021

Their infective feces often enter the bite wound, oral or nasal mucosa, or conjunctivas and transmit the flagellate parasite. —Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2011

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin flagellatus, past participle of flagellare, from flagellum, diminutive of flagrum whip; perhaps akin to Old Norse blaka to wave

Adjective

New Latin flagellatus, from flagellum

Noun

New Latin Flagellata, class of unicellular organisms, from neuter plural of flagellatus

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

circa 1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1879, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

flagellate

1 of 3 verb

flag·​el·​late ˈflaj-ə-ˌlāt 

flagellated; flagellating

: whip entry 1 sense 2

flagellation

ˌflaj-ə-ˈlā-shən

noun

flagellate

2 of 3 adjective

flag·​el·​late

ˈflaj-ə-lət,

-ˌlāt;

flə-ˈjel-ət

1

a

or flagellated

ˈflaj-ə-ˌlāt-əd

: having flagella

b

: shaped like a flagellum

2

: of, relating to, or caused by flagellates

flagellate

3 of 3 noun

like ²

 

: a protozoan or alga having flagella

Medical Definition

flagellate

1 of 2 adjective

fla·​gel·​late ˈflaj-ə-lət  -ˌlāt; flə-ˈjel-ət 

1

a

or flagellated

ˈflaj-ə-ˌlāt-əd 

: having flagella

b

: shaped like a flagellum

2

: of, relating to, or caused by flagellates

flagellate diarrhea

flagellate

2 of 2 noun

: a flagellate protozoan or alga