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
That was a surprisingly fertile base for germinating Kiri.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 20 Dec. 2025
Winter weed seeds germinate in autumn, so pre-emergent herbicide applications must be made in early fall to prevent winter weeds from establishing.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 18 Dec. 2025
It's caused when infants ingest botulism bacteria that produce spores that germinate in the intestines, creating a toxin that affects the nervous system.
—CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
Snow, ice, and below-zero temperatures won’t affect the dormant seed; cool-season grasses like fescue will germinate when temperature and moisture conditions are right in early spring.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for germinate
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David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 20 Dec. 2025
Winter weed seeds germinate in autumn, so pre-emergent herbicide applications must be made in early fall to prevent winter weeds from establishing.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 18 Dec. 2025
It's caused when infants ingest botulism bacteria that produce spores that germinate in the intestines, creating a toxin that affects the nervous system.
—CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
Snow, ice, and below-zero temperatures won’t affect the dormant seed; cool-season grasses like fescue will germinate when temperature and moisture conditions are right in early spring.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for germinate
Cite this Entry
“Germinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/germinate. Accessed 24 Dec. 2025.
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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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