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
2
: 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
Use a high-quality seedling heat mat for seeds that need warm soil to germinate.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026
Papaya seeds that are dried will need more time to germinate.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 13 Jan. 2026
Keep the soil moist and when seeds germinate provide a warm, full sun exposure.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
Cold soil, frost, and winter moisture help these native seeds germinate better than spring sowing.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for germinate
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Germinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/germinate. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Kids Definition
Medical Definition
germinate
verb
ger·mi·nate
ˈjər-mə-ˌnāt
germinated; germinating
: to cause to sprout or develop
: to begin to grow : sprout
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
