germinate
verb
ger·mi·nate
ˈjər-mə-ˌnāt 
germinated; germinating
: to cause to sprout or develop
1
: to come into being : evolve
before Western civilization began to germinate—
A. L. Kroeber
A. L. Kroeber2
: to begin to grow : sprout
waiting for the seeds to germinate
Examples of germinate in a Sentence
methods used by gardeners to germinate seeds
Recent Examples on the Web
Check sites periodically to remove re-sprouts and recently germinated seedlings and rosettes.
—Mariyam Muhammad, The Enquirer, 30 May 2024
While antisemitism and hateful authoritarianism was germinating and growing during the early years of Hitler’s rule, the genocidal horror began several years after Hitler took control.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2024
While germinating, many seeds benefit from the high humidity trapped by a clear lid on the tray or container, but this also interferes with good airflow.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 14 Mar. 2024
When the couple’s estranged, recovering addict son (Allyn) gets released from prison after a horrific accident and resumes his bull riding career along with his drug taking, a plan starts to germinate between father and son.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 12 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for germinate 
Mariyam Muhammad, The Enquirer, 30 May 2024
While antisemitism and hateful authoritarianism was germinating and growing during the early years of Hitler’s rule, the genocidal horror began several years after Hitler took control.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2024
While germinating, many seeds benefit from the high humidity trapped by a clear lid on the tray or container, but this also interferes with good airflow.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 14 Mar. 2024
When the couple’s estranged, recovering addict son (Allyn) gets released from prison after a horrific accident and resumes his bull riding career along with his drug taking, a plan starts to germinate between father and son.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 12 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for germinate
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'germinate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near germinate
Cite this Entry
“Germinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/germinate. Accessed 3 Jul. 2024.
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Medical Definition
germinate
verb
ger·mi·nate
ˈjər-mə-ˌnāt
germinated; germinating
: to cause to sprout or develop
: to begin to grow : sprout
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