cop·u·la·tion
ˌkä-pyə-ˈlā-shən 
plural -s
1
: the act of coupling or joining : the state of being coupled or joined : union, conjunction
wit, you know, is the unexpected copulation of ideas—
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson2
a
: sexual union : coitus
b
: permanent fusion of gametes compare conjugation
3
: the joining of subject and predicate by a copula
4
: coupling compare couple intransitive verb
Examples of copulate in a Sentence
Verb
Some animals have complex mating rituals before they copulate.
the time of year when deer in the wild are likely to copulate
Recent Examples on the Web
Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2026
Maybe she is beset by need to copulate, by the desire of the eggs inside her for their own plot of land.
—María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
In November 1995, Funston took a 5-year-old boy into some bushes, pulled down his pants and orally copulated him, prosecutors said.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
After copulating, the two males lay immobile on the seafloor as the female swam away.
—Jack Guy, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for copulate
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Verb
And finally, wouldn’t being near-perfectly still for an hour make a pair of copulating octopuses ridiculously exposed to predators?
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2026
Maybe she is beset by need to copulate, by the desire of the eggs inside her for their own plot of land.
—María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
In November 1995, Funston took a 5-year-old boy into some bushes, pulled down his pants and orally copulated him, prosecutors said.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
After copulating, the two males lay immobile on the seafloor as the female swam away.
—Jack Guy, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for copulate
Cite this Entry
“Copulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/copulate. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
copulate
intransitive verb
cop·u·late
ˈkäp-yə-ˌlāt
copulated; copulating
1
: to engage in sexual intercourse
2
of gametes
: to fuse permanently compare conjugate sense 1
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