Main Entry:

cul·mi·nate

Pronunciation:

\ˈkəl-mə-ˌnāt\

Function:

verb

Inflected Form(s):

cul·mi·nat·ed; cul·mi·nat·ing

Etymology:

Medieval Latin culminatus, past participle of culminare, from Late Latin, to crown, from Latin culmin-, culmen top — more at hill

Date:

1647

intransitive verb1of a celestial body : to reach its highest altitude ; also : to be directly overhead2 a: to rise to or form a summit b: to reach the highest or a climactic or decisive pointtransitive verb: to bring to a head or to the highest point