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 verb 1 of a celestial body : to reach its highest altitude; also : to be directly overhead
2 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