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
While Wise’s desire to bring a classic French restaurant to San Diego germinated early on in his career, active planning for it began about 2-1/2 years ago.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Heat-loving crops usually germinate best when soil temperatures are 70°F or higher, and plants like tomatoes shouldn’t be moved outside until nighttime temperatures reach at least 55°F.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Feb. 2026
Master gardener Angela Judd also recommends a heat mat, noting that peppers can take longer to germinate and grow.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 5 Feb. 2026
This requires patience since parsley takes at least two weeks to germinate.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for germinate
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Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Heat-loving crops usually germinate best when soil temperatures are 70°F or higher, and plants like tomatoes shouldn’t be moved outside until nighttime temperatures reach at least 55°F.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Feb. 2026
Master gardener Angela Judd also recommends a heat mat, noting that peppers can take longer to germinate and grow.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 5 Feb. 2026
This requires patience since parsley takes at least two weeks to germinate.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for germinate
Cite this Entry
“Germinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/germinate. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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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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