proliferate

verb

pro·lif·er·ate prə-ˈli-fə-ˌrāt How to pronounce proliferate (audio)

proliferated; proliferating

intransitive verb

: to grow by rapid production of new parts, cells, buds, or offspring

: to increase in number as if by proliferating : multiply

transitive verb

: to cause to grow by proliferating

: to cause to increase in number or extent as if by proliferating

proliferation

prə-ˌli-fə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce proliferate (audio)

noun

proliferative

prə-ˈli-fə-ˌrā-tiv How to pronounce proliferate (audio)

prə-ˈli-f(ə-)rə-tiv How to pronounce proliferate (audio)

adjective

Did you know?

Proliferate is a back-formation of proliferation. That means that proliferation came first (we borrowed it from French in the 18th century) and was later shortened to form the verb proliferate. Ultimately these terms come from Latin. The French adjective prolifère ("reproducing freely") comes from the Latin noun proles and the Latin combining form -fer. Proles means "offspring" or "descendants," and -fer means "bearing." Both of these Latin forms gave rise to numerous other English words. Prolific and proletarian ultimately come from proles; aquifer and words ending in -ferous have their roots in -fer.

Example Sentences

rumors about the incident proliferated on the Internet

Recent Examples on the Web Fictional matters proliferate, even as fiction itself implodes.

Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 25 July 2022 Full-service grocery stores proliferate across the city, but in majority-Black wards 7 and 8, that number can be counted on one hand.

Vanessa G. Sánchez, Washington Post, 7 July 2022 These beneficial microorganisms then proliferate and push out pathogenic bacteria.

The Salt Lake Tribune, 7 June 2022 In 21st-century America, such toxic narratives not only proliferate but increasingly gain legitimacy and currency within public discourse.

Arie Kruglanski, The Conversation, 19 May 2022 As sports documentaries and biopics proliferate—yet another Lakers series, this one created with the team’s owner, is expected this summer from Hulu—such categories are shifting.

Ellen Gamerman, WSJ, 4 May 2022 Georgian restaurants proliferate in Saint Petersburg, and many Americans might recall the news footage of Muscovites swarming the country’s first McDonald’s in 1990.

Soleil Ho, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Apr. 2022 Their rise in popularity preceded the pandemic, as smartphones became indispensable to people of all ages, and these tools have continued to proliferate and evolve with society.

Rayna Song, USA TODAY, 9 Aug. 2022 Lawyers expect questions around victims’ rights will continue to proliferate in white-collar crime cases.

Dylan Tokar, WSJ, 4 Aug. 2022 See More

proliferation

noun

as in increase

something added (as by growth) a large proliferation in the number of electrical appliances was placing enormous demands upon the region's power supply

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

increase
addition
boost
rise
gain
augmentation
expansion
uptick
accumulation
raise
more
increment
accretion
accrual
plus
continuation
supplement
addendum
step-up
extension
collection
spike
upturn
assemblage
complement
gathering
accession
appendix
jump
uptrend
run-up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reduction
depletion
decrease
diminution
decline
loss
shrinkage
diminishment
lowering
lessening
falloff
abatement
decrement
fall
drop-off
deduction
subtraction
step-down

as in accumulation

the act or process of becoming greater in number the proliferation of mistakes as both actors and crew became more and more tired

Synonyms & Similar Words

accumulation
increase
accumulating
mushrooming
addition
multiplication
growth
expansion
escalation
doubling
rise
quadrupling
tripling
enlargement
creep
augmentation
inflation
spread
amplification
cumulation
extension
rise
distension
accretion
lengthening
accrual
increment
distention
boost
gain
hike

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

decrease
reduction
diminution
diminishing
shrinkage
contracting
diminishment
shrinking
contraction
compression
condensation
lowering
lessening
falloff
constriction
abatement
drop
condensing
fall
shortening
compressing
retrenchment
drop-off
constricting
retrenching

单词	proliferation
释义	proliferate verb pro·lif·er·ate prə-ˈli-fə-ˌrāt proliferated; proliferating intransitive verb 1 : to grow by rapid production of new parts, cells, buds, or offspring 2 : to increase in number as if by proliferating : multiply transitive verb 1 : to cause to grow by proliferating 2 : to cause to increase in number or extent as if by proliferating proliferation prə-ˌli-fə-ˈrā-shən noun proliferative prə-ˈli-fə-ˌrā-tiv prə-ˈli-f(ə-)rə-tiv adjective Did you know? Proliferate is a back-formation of proliferation. That means that proliferation came first (we borrowed it from French in the 18th century) and was later shortened to form the verb proliferate. Ultimately these terms come from Latin. The French adjective prolifère ("reproducing freely") comes from the Latin noun proles and the Latin combining form -fer. Proles means "offspring" or "descendants," and -fer means "bearing." Both of these Latin forms gave rise to numerous other English words. Prolific and proletarian ultimately come from proles; aquifer and words ending in -ferous have their roots in -fer. Synonyms accelerate accumulate appreciate balloon boom build up burgeon bourgeon climb enlarge escalate expand gain increase mount multiply mushroom rise roll up snowball spread swell wax See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences rumors about the incident proliferated on the Internet Recent Examples on the Web Fictional matters proliferate, even as fiction itself implodes. Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 25 July 2022 Full-service grocery stores proliferate across the city, but in majority-Black wards 7 and 8, that number can be counted on one hand. Vanessa G. Sánchez, Washington Post, 7 July 2022 These beneficial microorganisms then proliferate and push out pathogenic bacteria. The Salt Lake Tribune, 7 June 2022 In 21st-century America, such toxic narratives not only proliferate but increasingly gain legitimacy and currency within public discourse. Arie Kruglanski, The Conversation, 19 May 2022 As sports documentaries and biopics proliferate—yet another Lakers series, this one created with the team’s owner, is expected this summer from Hulu—such categories are shifting. Ellen Gamerman, WSJ, 4 May 2022 Georgian restaurants proliferate in Saint Petersburg, and many Americans might recall the news footage of Muscovites swarming the country’s first McDonald’s in 1990. Soleil Ho, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Apr. 2022 Their rise in popularity preceded the pandemic, as smartphones became indispensable to people of all ages, and these tools have continued to proliferate and evolve with society. Rayna Song, USA TODAY, 9 Aug. 2022 Lawyers expect questions around victims’ rights will continue to proliferate in white-collar crime cases. Dylan Tokar, WSJ, 4 Aug. 2022 See More Word History Etymology back-formation from proliferation, from French prolifération, from proliférer to proliferate, from prolifère reproducing freely, from Latin proles + -fer -ferous First Known Use 1866, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1 Medical Definition proliferate verb pro·lif·er·ate prə-ˈlif-ə-ˌrāt proliferated; proliferating intransitive verb : to grow by rapid production of new parts, cells, buds, or offspring transitive verb : to cause to grow by proliferating proliferation noun 1 as in increase something added (as by growth) a large proliferation in the number of electrical appliances was placing enormous demands upon the region's power supply Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance increase addition boost rise gain augmentation expansion uptick accumulation raise more increment accretion accrual plus continuation supplement addendum step-up extension collection spike upturn assemblage complement gathering accession appendix jump uptrend run-up Antonyms & Near Antonyms reduction depletion decrease diminution decline loss shrinkage diminishment lowering lessening falloff abatement decrement fall drop-off deduction subtraction step-down See More 2 as in accumulation the act or process of becoming greater in number the proliferation of mistakes as both actors and crew became more and more tired Synonyms & Similar Words accumulation increase accumulating mushrooming addition multiplication growth expansion escalation doubling rise quadrupling tripling enlargement creep augmentation inflation spread amplification cumulation extension rise distension accretion lengthening accrual increment distention boost gain hike Antonyms & Near Antonyms decrease reduction diminution diminishing shrinkage contracting diminishment shrinking contraction compression condensation lowering lessening falloff constriction abatement drop condensing fall shortening compressing retrenchment drop-off constricting retrenching See More
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proliferate

verb

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Medical Definition

verb

noun