pollinate

verb

pol·​li·​nate ˈpä-lə-ˌnāt 

pollinated; pollinating

transitive verb

1

: to carry out the pollination of

2

: to mark or smudge with pollen

Examples of pollinate in a Sentence

The plants are pollinated by bees.

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s also an assortment of private spaces in which to meditate, breastfeed, melt down, and get it together before returning to your desk to pollinate the world with cash. —Justin Davidson, Curbed, 12 Nov. 2025

In a forest, trees provide oxygen and shelter for animals, while the animals can help pollinate or spread seeds. —Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Nov. 2025

If peppers bloom, hand-pollinate the flowers with an old makeup brush, and lightly feed your plants with a diluted application of organic liquid fertilizer. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Nov. 2025

Originally, the berry was an invention made by amateur farmer Rudolph Boysen, who cross-pollinated the blackberry, loganberry and raspberry while living in Napa County in the 1920s. —Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 27 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pollinate

• cross-pollinate
• self-pollinate

Rhymes for pollinate

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

Kids Definition

pollinate

verb

pol·​li·​nate ˈpäl-ə-ˌnāt 

pollinated; pollinating

: to place pollen on the stigma of