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
Water the soil until evenly moistened, then cover pots with plastic to retain moisture until the seeds germinate.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 26 Dec. 2025
That was a surprisingly fertile base for germinating Kiri.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 20 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
By the time warm-season grasses germinate in late spring, annual grassy weeds have taken hold and outcompete the young seedlings.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for germinate
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Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 26 Dec. 2025
That was a surprisingly fertile base for germinating Kiri.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 20 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
By the time warm-season grasses germinate in late spring, annual grassy weeds have taken hold and outcompete the young seedlings.
—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 31 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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