undulate

1 of 2

adjective

un·​du·​late ˈən-jə-lət  ˈən-dyə- 

ˈən-də-,

-ˌlāt 

variants or undulated

ˈən-jə-ˌlā-təd 

ˈən-dyə-,

ˈən-də-

: having a wavy surface, edge, or markings

the undulate margin of a leaf

undulate

2 of 2

verb

un·​du·​late ˈən-jə-ˌlāt 

ˈən-dyə-,

ˈən-də-

undulated; undulating

intransitive verb

1

: to form or move in waves : fluctuate

2

: to rise and fall in volume, pitch, or cadence

3

: to present a wavy appearance

transitive verb

: to cause to move in a wavy, sinuous, or flowing manner

Did you know?

Make Waves With the History of Undulate

Undulate and inundate (“to cover something with a flood of water”) are word cousins that flow from unda, the Latin word for “wave.” No surprise there. But would you have guessed that abound, surround, and redound are also unda offspring? While their modern definitions have nothing to do with waves or water, at some point in their early histories, they all meant “to overflow,” and caught a wave from there.

Choose the Right Synonym for undulate

swing, sway, oscillate, vibrate, fluctuate, waver, undulate mean to move from one direction to its opposite.

swing implies a movement of something attached at one end or one side.

the door suddenly swung open

sway implies a slow swinging or teetering movement.

trees swaying in the breeze

oscillate stresses a usually regular alternation of direction.

an oscillating fan

vibrate suggests the rapid oscillation of an elastic body under stress or impact.

the vibrating strings of a piano

fluctuate suggests constant irregular changes of level, intensity, or value.

fluctuating interest rates

waver stresses irregular motion suggestive of reeling or tottering.

the exhausted runner wavered before collapsing

undulate suggests a gentle wavelike motion.

an undulating sea of grass

Examples of undulate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

As fingers curl and undulate, arms criss-crossing, the dancer spun and lunged. —Karen Campbell, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Mar. 2023

Verb

Other visual motifs tended to be more stationary, and face-forward for the audience: images of flags, made up of fire or smoke; a field of dotted white lights that could have been an abstract cityscape, or maybe a field of electric poppies; undulating ripples on water. —Chris Willman, Variety, 30 Sep. 2023

The houses were built on stilts to keep the dwellings above the lake and undulating water levels in the area. —Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 15 Aug. 2023

New elevated highways undulate over ancient cemeteries, riding skinny struts like giant gray roller coasters. —Vivian Yee, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2023

Hathaway's dark brunette hair was parted in the center and styled in loose, shiny waves that began at her ears and undulated down. —Kara Nesvig, Allure, 3 Oct. 2023

The song undulates with a weighty riff as Wilson sings about celestial bodies. —Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2023

The path was undulating, the views of the Rockies’ northern Front Range and its prominent Longs Peak superb. —Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Sep. 2023

Today, the room’s custom architectural ceiling, lined with decorative bent wooden beams that suggest the shape of an undulating ocean wave, spans a collection of beds, privacy dividers, a makeshift nurses station and dozens of wheeled IV poles rather than seating for meetings. —Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Oct. 2023

Although a stump now pokes out where the imposing sycamore once dominated the undulating English moors, arboreal experts say the tree is very much alive and will probably regrow. —Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 3 Oct. 2023

See More

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin undulatus, from *undula, diminutive of unda wave — more at water

Verb

Late Latin undula small wave, from Latin *undula

First Known Use

Adjective

1658, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1664, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

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Kids Definition

undulate

verb

un·​du·​late

ˈən-jə-ˌlāt,

ˈən-d(y)ə-

undulated; undulating

1

: to form or move in waves : fluctuate

2

: to rise and fall in volume, pitch, or rhythm

3

: to present a wavy appearance

Etymology

Verb

from Latin undula "small wave," derived from earlier unda "wave"

Medical Definition

undulate

adjective

un·​du·​late ˈən-jə-lət  ˈən-d(y)ə-  -ˌlāt 

: having a wavy surface, edge, or markings

an undulate cell