germinate

1 of 2

verb

ger·​mi·​nate ˈjər-mə-ˌnāt 

germinated; germinating

transitive verb

: to cause to sprout or develop

intransitive verb

1

: to come into being : evolve

… before Western civilization began to germinate …

—A. L. Kroeber

2

: to begin to grow : sprout

waiting for the seeds to germinate

germination

ˌjər-mə-ˈnā-shən 

noun

germinative

ˈjər-mə-ˌnā-tiv  -mə-nə- 

adjective

germination

2 of 2

noun

ger·​mi·​na·​tion

plural -s

1

: the beginning, process, or result of germinating:

a

: the initial development of a spore involving either production of a germ tube or internal breakup

the first stage in germination of a spore is the absorption of water

—George Smith

b

: the resumption of growth by the embryo in a seed after planting that involves the development of a young plant from the embryo after a period of dormancy : sprouting

germination starts when the seed coat is broken

—F. S. Baker

c

: the development of a bud

d

: the production of a pollen tube by a pollen grain

2

: the beginning of growth or development : evolution

the germination of newer and more tentative ideas

—J. T. Edsall

Examples of germinate in a Sentence

Verb

methods used by gardeners to germinate seeds

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Planted as soon as the summer crops have been pulled, cover crop seeds germinate quickly and grow during the fall and winter before being dug under in the spring. — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 8 Aug. 2026

Kentucky bluegrass, on the other hand, can take up to a month to germinate, explains Bob Mann, senior director of technical and regulatory affairs at the National Association of Landscape Professionals. — Amanda Tust, Architectural Digest, 7 Aug. 2026

The spores attach to the target insect, such as a carpenter ant, and germinate, spreading through the host’s body via long tendrils called mycelia. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 6 Aug. 2026

Coneflower seeds will germinate best after a period of cold stratification. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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

Noun

Latin germination-, germinatio, from germinatus + -ion-, -io -ion

First Known Use

Verb

1610, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for germinate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids Definition

germinate

verb

ger·​mi·​nate ˈjər-mə-ˌnāt 

germinated; germinating

1

: to cause to sprout or develop

2

: to begin to grow : sprout

3

: to come into being : evolve

germination

ˌjər-mə-ˈnā-shən 

noun

Medical Definition

germinate

verb

ger·​mi·​nate ˈjər-mə-ˌnāt 

germinated; germinating

transitive verb

: to cause to sprout or develop

intransitive verb

: to begin to grow : sprout

germination

ˌjər-mə-ˈnā-shən 

noun