germinate
verb
ger·mi·nate
ˈjər-mə-ˌnāt 
germinated; germinating
: to cause to sprout or develop
1
: to come into being : evolve
… before Western civilization began to germinate …—
A. L. Kroeber
A. L. Kroeber2
: to begin to grow : sprout
waiting for the seeds to germinate
Examples of germinate in a Sentence
methods used by gardeners to germinate seeds
Recent Examples on the Web
These structures are envelopes of starch that shift and settle at the bottom of plant cells, helping the organisms to detect changes in their position and stability—and to tell germinating seeds in which direction to grow their roots.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026
Eating fruit is one step; whether those seeds germinate and grow into mature trees is a question researchers have yet to fully answer.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
Keep the soil consistently moist for the first few weeks until the seeds germinate.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 20 Apr. 2026
On the other hand, cool‑season sod farmers usually grow Kentucky bluegrass, which germinates slowly compared to other turfgrass species, increasing the risk of washouts.
—Ryan Bearss, The Conversation, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for germinate
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K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026
Eating fruit is one step; whether those seeds germinate and grow into mature trees is a question researchers have yet to fully answer.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
Keep the soil consistently moist for the first few weeks until the seeds germinate.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 20 Apr. 2026
On the other hand, cool‑season sod farmers usually grow Kentucky bluegrass, which germinates slowly compared to other turfgrass species, increasing the risk of washouts.
—Ryan Bearss, The Conversation, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for germinate
Cite this Entry
“Germinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/germinate. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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Medical Definition
germinate
verb
ger·mi·nate
ˈjər-mə-ˌnāt
germinated; germinating
: to cause to sprout or develop
: to begin to grow : sprout
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