conjugation

noun

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con·ju·ga·tion | \ ˌkän-jə-ˈgā-shən

Definition of conjugation

1a : a schematic arrangement of the inflectional forms of a verb

b : verb inflection

c : a class of verbs having the same type of inflectional forms the weak conjugation

d : a set of the simple or derivative inflectional forms of a verb especially in Sanskrit or the Semitic languages the causative conjugation

2 : the act of conjugating : the state of being conjugated

3a : fusion of usually similar gametes with ultimate union of their nuclei and sexual reproduction that occurs in most fungi and in some algae (such as green algae)

b : temporary cytoplasmic union with exchange of nuclear material that is the usual sexual process in ciliated protozoans

c : the one-way transfer of DNA between bacteria in cellular contact

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Examples of conjugation in a Sentence

a lesson on French verb conjugation

Recent Examples on the Web The numbers around Nadal’s dominance in Paris at this point are more dizzying than French conjugation. — Joshua Robinson, WSJ, "Rafael Nadal Wins His 20th Grand Slam Title With French Open Victory," 11 Oct. 2020 For there to be the sort of difference between the two that makes our Universe possible, something has to break the apparent symmetry between them (technically termed charge-conjugation and parity-reversal symmetry, or simply CP symmetry). — John Timmer, Ars Technica, "Neutrinos may help us understand how matter prevailed over antimatter," 15 Apr. 2020 There’s less emphasis than in other programs on nailing grammar or committing conjugation, or verb sets, to memory. — Betsy Blumenthal, Condé Nast Traveler, "6 Best Language-Learning Apps to Try in 2020," 30 Mar. 2020 This is frequently the case in language where, for example, the correct conjugation of a verb or gender of a pronoun at the end of a sentence can depend on a subject that occurs at the start of the sentence, or even several sentences back. — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, "A.I. breakthroughs in natural-language processing are big for business," 20 Jan. 2020 That discovery, known as conjugation, involves attaching proteins to the polysaccharides — complex sugars — on the bacterium’s outer capsule. — BostonGlobe.com, "NEW YORK — Dr. John B. Robbins, a pioneer in vaccinology and one of the inventors of the first effective defense against a form of meningitis that once killed more than a thousand infants a day worldwide, died Nov. 27 at his home in Manhattan. He was 86.," 19 Dec. 2019 There are also more traditional modes of learning that should bolster your vocabulary and conjugation skills. — Benjamin Levin, CNN Underscored, "Learn a language or two with this lifetime subscription to Mondly," 21 Nov. 2019 Incorrect punctuation and grammar conjugation were not counted. — Marina Di Marzo, CNN, "How often does Trump misspell words on Twitter? These researchers have an answer," 3 Nov. 2019 In addition to the Civil War and verb conjugation, part of my seventh-grade curriculum focused on advancing our computer literacy. — Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, "The Sites That Mean the Most to Us," 1 Nov. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'conjugation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.