germinate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb produce buds, branches, or germinate
    shoot; bourgeon; sprout; spud; pullulate; burgeon forth.
    • the potatoes sprouted
  2. verb work out
    evolve; develop.
    • We have developed a new theory of evolution
  3. verb cause to grow or sprout
    • the plentiful rain germinated my plants

WordNet

Ger"mi*nate intransitive verb
Etymology
L. germinatus, p. p. of germinare to sprout, fr. germen. See Germ.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Germinated ; present participle & verbal noun Germinating
Definitions
  1. To sprout; to bud; to shoot; to begin to vegetate, as a plant or its seed; to begin to develop, as a germ. Bacon.
Ger"mi*nate transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To cause to sprout. Price (1610).

Webster 1913