germinate

verb

ger·​mi·​nate ˈjər-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce germinate (audio)
germinated; germinating

transitive verb

: to cause to sprout or develop

intransitive verb

1
: to come into being : evolve
before Western civilization began to germinateA. L. Kroeber
2
: to begin to grow : sprout
waiting for the seeds to germinate
germination noun
germinative adjective

Examples of germinate in a Sentence

methods used by gardeners to germinate seeds
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Like many seeds, peach seeds require a period of cold treatment called stratification to germinate properly. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 28 June 2025 Like many giants, the tree is a slow grower: its seeds take years to germinate, and its fruits can be a decade in ripening. The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 26 June 2025 Some locations do not allow wedding bouquets with non-native plants because the seeds could potentially germinate. Sarah Sekula, USA Today, 25 June 2025 Downy mildew fungi germinate and infect leaves with six hours of constant leaf wetness. Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for germinate

Word History

Etymology

Latin germinatus, past participle of germinare to sprout, from germin-, germen bud, germ

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of germinate was in 1610

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Germinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/germinate. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

germinate

verb
ger·​mi·​nate ˈjər-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce germinate (audio)
germinated; germinating
1
: to cause to sprout or develop
2
: to begin to grow : sprout
3
: to come into being : evolve
germination noun

Medical Definition

germinate

verb
ger·​mi·​nate ˈjər-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce germinate (audio)
germinated; germinating

transitive verb

: to cause to sprout or develop

intransitive verb

: to begin to grow : sprout
germination noun

More from Merriam-Webster on germinate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!