flagellate

1 of 3

verb

flag·​el·​late ˈfla-jə-ˌlāt How to pronounce flagellate (audio)
flagellated; flagellating

transitive verb

1
2
: to drive or punish as if by whipping

flagellate

2 of 3

adjective

1
a
: having flagella
b
: shaped like a flagellum
2
[flagellate entry 3] : of, relating to, or caused by flagellates
flagellate diarrhea

flagellate

3 of 3

noun

: a flagellate protozoan or alga

Examples of flagellate in a Sentence

Verb some medieval monks believed it was necessary to flagellate themselves in order to keep their desires in check
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Pop stars being badasses, as ever, but expressing doubt, and doing it without the flagellating self-destruction that might have come with an early iteration. Susannah Felts, Longreads, 27 Apr. 2023 For Logan, none of these self-flagellating exercises mattered. Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2023
Adjective
Aiden needs neither hair shirt nor whip to self-flagellate, and Simone writes of depression with a visceral ache. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 11 Nov. 2021 How small is too small for someone with a shrinking fetish?), Gupta and Gelula begin to self-flagellate, blaming themselves for being too lazy to do research or for stumbling into some ridiculous malapropism. Sean Malin, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2021
Noun
To comically self-flagellate? Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 3 Mar. 2021 Their infective feces often enter the bite wound, oral or nasal mucosa, or conjunctivas and transmit the flagellate parasite. Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2011 See all Example Sentences for flagellate 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flagellate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin flagellatus, past participle of flagellare, from flagellum, diminutive of flagrum whip; perhaps akin to Old Norse blaka to wave

Adjective

New Latin flagellatus, from flagellum

Noun

New Latin Flagellata, class of unicellular organisms, from neuter plural of flagellatus

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

circa 1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flagellate was circa 1623

Dictionary Entries Near flagellate

Cite this Entry

“Flagellate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flagellate. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

flagellate

1 of 3 verb
flag·​el·​late ˈflaj-ə-ˌlāt How to pronounce flagellate (audio)
flagellated; flagellating
flagellation
ˌflaj-ə-ˈlā-shən
noun

flagellate

2 of 3 adjective
flag·​el·​late
ˈflaj-ə-lət,
-ˌlāt;
flə-ˈjel-ət
1
a
or flagellated
ˈflaj-ə-ˌlāt-əd
: having flagella
b
: shaped like a flagellum
2
: of, relating to, or caused by flagellates

flagellate

3 of 3 noun
like 2
 How to pronounce flagellate (audio)
: a protozoan or alga having flagella

Medical Definition

flagellate

1 of 2 adjective
1
a
or flagellated : having flagella
b
: shaped like a flagellum
2
: of, relating to, or caused by flagellates
flagellate diarrhea

flagellate

2 of 2 noun
: a flagellate protozoan or alga

More from Merriam-Webster on flagellate

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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