replicate

1 of 3

verb

rep·​li·​cate ˈre-plə-ˌkāt How to pronounce replicate (audio)
replicated; replicating

transitive verb

: duplicate, repeat
replicate a statistical experiment
replicated his mentor's writing style

intransitive verb

: to undergo replication : produce a replica of itself
virus particles replicating in cells

replicate

2 of 3

adjective

rep·​li·​cate ˈre-plə-kət How to pronounce replicate (audio)

replicate

3 of 3

noun

rep·​li·​cate ˈre-plə-kət How to pronounce replicate (audio)
: one of several identical experiments, procedures, or samples

Examples of replicate in a Sentence

Verb They are working on computer-generated speech that replicates the human voice. DNA replicates itself in the cell nucleus. DNA replicates in the cell nucleus.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Boeing conducted testing replicating 165,000 flights with no findings of fatigue in the composite structure, Steve Chisholm, Boeing’s vice president of structural engineering, said. David Koenig, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2024 This replicates the longstanding federal Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program. Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024 Miami, led by prolific playoff performer Jimmy Butler, was forced to come through the Play-In last year en route to the Finals as the eighth seed and will be hoping that this season’s team can replicate those heroics. Sam Joseph and Jacob Lev, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024 That alliance was the clearest warning yet that the gangs would brook no challenges to their position — a sense of impunity that is being replicated by criminal organizations in country after country across Latin America. Samantha Schmidt, Washington Post, 12 Apr. 2024 That atmosphere is something that can’t be replicated on the backfields in Arizona, or before the gates open at Dodger Stadium. Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024 To be clear, Lake and his colleagues do not claim to have replicated in silico how toddlers actually learn. Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2024 The Chatroom Truth Social went public last month, and some Trump fans are trying to replicate the meme-stock moment GameStop had a few years ago. Makena Kelly, WIRED, 4 Apr. 2024 The Giants did their best to replicate the adrenaline that accompanies a real major-league outing, first setting up a nighttime start in Arizona against the team’s Double-A hitters and then having Wednesday’s come on a big-league mound against big-league hitters, in full uniform. Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
Noun
Interviewing In each sample, phone numbers are released for interviewing in replicates by census region (cell) or division (landline) to allow for sample control. ABC News, 9 Jan. 2024 Another vision from 1941 aimed to keep city government at Lafayette Square, by building a replicate of Gallier’s 1851 structure on the corner of Poydras Street and filling the intervening space along St. Charles Avenue with a monumental pavilion-like edifice. Richard Campanella, NOLA.com, 6 Feb. 2021 Denbury’s 1,300 miles of pipelines in the Gulf Coast and Rocky Mountains dedicated to transporting carbon dioxide would give Exxon critical and hard-to-replicate infrastructure that will be essential if its carbon capture push is to be a success. Dallas News, 10 Oct. 2022 But many researchers in the primordial biology game, Benner included, focus instead on RNA, or ribonucleic acid, a biological precursor to DNA that can also store genetic information and self-replicate but arises more easily from organic materials. Steve Nadis, Discover Magazine, 8 May 2014 Although this outfit isn't an exact replicate, the show clearly drew inspiration from a ruffled high collar shirt Princess Diana wore on a visit to Tetbury, England during her engagement. Janaya Wecker, ELLE, 10 Nov. 2022 Also on display is Cynthia’s emerald wedding suit, which Karon had a dressmaker replicate. Amy Bonesteel, ajc, 30 Sep. 2022 On rare occasions, a mutation might help SARS-CoV-2 replicate faster. Carl Zimmer, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Sep. 2022 The tot was seen wearing a black Nike dress that was bedazzled with mini rhinestones on the top, a small replicate of the same piece that Williams wore. Shafiq Najib, Peoplemag, 3 Sep. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'replicate.' 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

Verb

Middle English replecaten "to repeat," borrowed from Latin replicātus, past participle of replicō, replicāre "to turn back on itself, bend back, unroll (a papyrus book), go over (a thought, topic) repeatedly, make a replication" (Late Latin also "to restore, repeat, reply"), from re- re- + -plicāre "to fold, bend" — more at ply entry 3

Adjective

borrowed from Latin replicātus, past participle of replicō, replicāre "to turn back on itself, bend back, unroll (a papyrus book), go over (a thought, topic) repeatedly" (Late Latin also "to restore, repeat, reply") — more at replicate entry 1

Noun

noun derivative of replicate entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Adjective

1915, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1929, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of replicate was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near replicate

Cite this Entry

“Replicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/replicate. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

replicate

1 of 2 verb
rep·​li·​cate ˈrep-lə-ˌkāt How to pronounce replicate (audio)
replicated; replicating
1
2
: to produce one or more exact copies of itself
DNA replicates in the cell nucleus

replicate

2 of 2 noun
rep·​li·​cate ˈrep-li-kət How to pronounce replicate (audio)
: one of several identical experiments, processes, or samples

Medical Definition

replicate

1 of 2 verb
rep·​li·​cate ˈrep-lə-ˌkāt How to pronounce replicate (audio)
replicated; replicating

transitive verb

: to repeat or duplicate (as an experiment)

intransitive verb

: to undergo replication : produce a replica of itself
virus particles replicating in cells

replicate

2 of 2 noun
rep·​li·​cate -li-kət How to pronounce replicate (audio)
1
: one of several identical experiments, procedures, or samples
2
: something (as a gene, DNA, or a cell) produced by replication

More from Merriam-Webster on replicate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!