germinate
/ˈdʒɜː.mɪ.neɪt/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To begin to grow, especially when a seed starts making roots and shoots. It can also mean an idea, feeling, or plan starts to develop.
- The seeds germinated after three days.
- A new idea began to germinate in her mind.
- Warm, wet soil helps seeds germinate.
Adinary Nuance
Germinate is more specific than grow. It is usually used for seeds, spores, and sometimes ideas or plans that begin slowly. Grow is much broader and works in many situations, but germinate suggests the very first stage. Sprout is closer for plants, but it sounds more everyday than germinate.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- nảy mầm
- Spanish
- germinar
- Chinese
- 发芽
- Japanese
- 発芽する
- Korean
- 발아하다
Etymology
From Latin germinare, meaning “to sprout” or “to bud.” It entered English through scientific writing and has been used since the 1600s.
Common phrases
germinate seedsgerminate in soilideas begin to germinate
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is germinate used only for plants?
- No. It is most common for seeds, but it can also describe ideas or plans starting to develop.
- What is the difference between germinate and grow?
- Germinate means to start growing. Grow is a wider word for all stages of development.
- Is germinate formal or informal?
- It is a fairly formal word. It is common in science, education, and writing.