con·ju·gate
ˈkän-ji-gət 
-jə-ˌgāt
1
a
: joined together especially in pairs : coupled
a conjugate relationship
b
: acting or operating as if joined
2
a
: having features in common but opposite or inverse in some particular
b
: relating to or being conjugate complex numbers
complex roots occurring in conjugate pairs
3
of an acid or base
: related by the difference of a proton
The acid NH4+ and the base NH3 are conjugate to each other.
4
: having the same derivation and therefore usually some likeness in meaning
conjugate words
5
of two leaves of a book
: forming a single piece
conjugately
adverb
conjugateness
noun
con·ju·gate
ˈkän-jə-ˌgāt
conjugated; conjugating
1
: to give in prescribed order the various inflectional forms of
—used especially of a verb
2
: to join together
1
: to become joined together
2
a
: to pair and fuse in conjugation (see conjugation sense 3a)
b
: to pair in synapsis
con·ju·gate
ˈkän-ji-gət
-jə-ˌgāt
1
: something conjugate : a product of conjugating
3
: an element of a mathematical group that is equal to a given element of the group multiplied on the right by another element and on the left by the inverse of the latter element
Synonyms
Examples of conjugate in a Sentence
Verb
Can you conjugate the verb “to go”?
biological cells conjugating under a microscope
Recent Examples on the Web
Roger Lockridge, Men's Health, 26 Apr. 2022
There are two meningococcal vaccines: meningococcal conjugate vaccines (MenACWY) and serogroup B meningococcal vaccines (MenB).
—Patia Braithwaite, SELF, 26 Aug. 2019
Jessi Jezewska Stevens, Harper's Magazine, 14 Sep. 2022
Its formula contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), green coffee bean extract, acetyl l-carnitine, l-carnitine l-tartrate, and chromium picolinate.
—Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2023
Traditional teaching methods, like asking students to conjugate a verb on the spot or translate a complex Latin passage in front of their peers, can be tedious at best and nail-bitingly nerve-racking at worst.
—Elizabeth Djinis, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Feb. 2023
Gambling was a hard no and celibacy was expected, except for married couples who were permitted to conjugate for purposes of procreation — but only after chanting for five hours.
—Ashley Stimpson, Longreads, 19 Feb. 2022
The examples that conjugate that three abound, but a couple spring to mind.
—Hec Paris Insights, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2021
With nouns that are masculine, feminine and neutral, verbs that conjugate heavily and an extremely strict syntax, German may appear insurmountable to start with.
—John Malathronas, CNN, 21 Apr. 2021
Authentic versions possess more nutrients than the alternative, particularly more vitamin A, D and K2, as well as five times the beneficial fatty acid CLA (conjugated linoleic acid).
—Lucinda Scala Quinn, Washington Post, 21 June 2019
One of the distinguishing fats is conjugated linoleic acid or CLA, which some regard as the clearest indicator of grass-feeding.
—Peter Whoriskey, kansascity.com, 8 May 2017
Parents Editors, Parents, 14 Nov. 2023
Merck and Daiichi Sankyo will develop and commercialize three antibody drug conjugate candidates—patritumab deruxtecan, ifinatamab deruxtecan and raludotatug deruxtecan—worldwide.
—Ben Glickman, WSJ, 20 Oct. 2023
Ensure adolescents and teenagers receive the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY) on schedule at 11 or 12 years of age and then a booster dose at 15-16 years of age.
—Zenebou Sylla, CNN, 2 Sep. 2023
The department also advised that teenagers receive the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY) as scheduled at 11 or 12 years old and a booster dose at 15 or 16 years old.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2023
Harnessing this technology, called antibody-drug conjugates, Seagen has won regulatory approval for drugs that treat Hodgkin lymphoma as well as bladder, cervical and breast cancer.
—Daniel Gilbert, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2023
In addition, the MMR (Measles, mumps, and rubella), chickenpox (Varicella), inactivated polio (IPV) and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines never contained thimerosal.
—Nate Trela, USA TODAY, 16 May 2023
Seagen is a leader in developing a type of medicine called antibody-drug conjugates, or ADCs.
—Naomi Kresge, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2023
The deal helps Pfizer, flush with cash but in need of new sources of revenue due to declining sales of Covid treatments, by adding a lineup of cancer drugs called antibody-drug conjugates that work by delivering chemotherapy directly to tumors.
—Adam Feuerstein, STAT, 13 Mar. 2023
See More
Adjective
The two most popular styles of training in powerlifting are conjugate and linear.
—Roger Lockridge, Men's Health, 26 Apr. 2022
There are two meningococcal vaccines: meningococcal conjugate vaccines (MenACWY) and serogroup B meningococcal vaccines (MenB).
—Patia Braithwaite, SELF, 26 Aug. 2019
Verb
Her legs were covered in razor nicks incurred while conjugating irregular verbs and gendering the nouns, der, die, das.
—Jessi Jezewska Stevens, Harper's Magazine, 14 Sep. 2022
Its formula contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), green coffee bean extract, acetyl l-carnitine, l-carnitine l-tartrate, and chromium picolinate.
—Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2023
Traditional teaching methods, like asking students to conjugate a verb on the spot or translate a complex Latin passage in front of their peers, can be tedious at best and nail-bitingly nerve-racking at worst.
—Elizabeth Djinis, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Feb. 2023
Gambling was a hard no and celibacy was expected, except for married couples who were permitted to conjugate for purposes of procreation — but only after chanting for five hours.
—Ashley Stimpson, Longreads, 19 Feb. 2022
The examples that conjugate that three abound, but a couple spring to mind.
—Hec Paris Insights, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2021
With nouns that are masculine, feminine and neutral, verbs that conjugate heavily and an extremely strict syntax, German may appear insurmountable to start with.
—John Malathronas, CNN, 21 Apr. 2021
Authentic versions possess more nutrients than the alternative, particularly more vitamin A, D and K2, as well as five times the beneficial fatty acid CLA (conjugated linoleic acid).
—Lucinda Scala Quinn, Washington Post, 21 June 2019
One of the distinguishing fats is conjugated linoleic acid or CLA, which some regard as the clearest indicator of grass-feeding.
—Peter Whoriskey, kansascity.com, 8 May 2017
Noun
However, your baby will need boosters of the following:
Rotavirus (dose 2)
DTaP (dose 2)
Hib (dose 2)
Pneumococcal conjugate (dose 2)
Inactivated poliovirus (dose 2)
6 Month Vaccines
The infant vaccine schedule introduces a couple of new vaccines at 6 months—COVID-19 and the flu shot.
—Parents Editors, Parents, 14 Nov. 2023
Merck and Daiichi Sankyo will develop and commercialize three antibody drug conjugate candidates—patritumab deruxtecan, ifinatamab deruxtecan and raludotatug deruxtecan—worldwide.
—Ben Glickman, WSJ, 20 Oct. 2023
Ensure adolescents and teenagers receive the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY) on schedule at 11 or 12 years of age and then a booster dose at 15-16 years of age.
—Zenebou Sylla, CNN, 2 Sep. 2023
The department also advised that teenagers receive the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY) as scheduled at 11 or 12 years old and a booster dose at 15 or 16 years old.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2023
Harnessing this technology, called antibody-drug conjugates, Seagen has won regulatory approval for drugs that treat Hodgkin lymphoma as well as bladder, cervical and breast cancer.
—Daniel Gilbert, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2023
In addition, the MMR (Measles, mumps, and rubella), chickenpox (Varicella), inactivated polio (IPV) and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines never contained thimerosal.
—Nate Trela, USA TODAY, 16 May 2023
Seagen is a leader in developing a type of medicine called antibody-drug conjugates, or ADCs.
—Naomi Kresge, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2023
The deal helps Pfizer, flush with cash but in need of new sources of revenue due to declining sales of Covid treatments, by adding a lineup of cancer drugs called antibody-drug conjugates that work by delivering chemotherapy directly to tumors.
—Adam Feuerstein, STAT, 13 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conjugate.' 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
Adjective and Verb
Middle English conjugat, from Latin conjugatus, past participle of conjugare to unite, from com- + jugare to join, from jugum yoke — more at yoke
First Known Use
Adjective
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun
circa 1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of conjugate was
in the 15th century
Phrases Containing conjugate
Articles Related to conjugate
Dictionary Entries Near conjugate
Cite this Entry
“Conjugate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conjugate. Accessed 11 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
conjugate
1 of 2 adjective
con·ju·gate
ˈkän-ji-gət
-jə-ˌgāt
: joined together especially in pairs : coupled
conjugate
2 of 2 verb
con·ju·gate
ˈkän-jə-ˌgāt
conjugated; conjugating
1
: to give the various forms of a verb in order
2
: to join together
3
: to pair and unite in conjugation
Medical Definition
conjugate
1 of 3 adjective
con·ju·gate
ˈkän-ji-gət, -jə-ˌgāt
1
: functioning or operating simultaneously as if joined
conjugate eye movements
2
of an acid or base
: related by the difference of a proton
the acid NH4+ and the base NH3 are conjugate to each other
conjugately
adverb
conjugate
2 of 3 verb
con·ju·gate
-jə-ˌgāt
conjugated; conjugating
: to unite (as with the elimination of water) so that the product is easily broken down (as by hydrolysis) into the original compounds
benzoic acid is conjugated with glycine to hippuric acid in the body
conjugate
3 of 3 noun
: a chemical compound formed by the union of two compounds or united with another compound
More from Merriam-Webster on conjugate
Nglish: Translation of conjugate for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of conjugate for Arabic Speakers
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