germinateverb
uk/ˈdʒɜː.mɪ.neɪt/us/ˈdʒɝː.mə.neɪt/germinate verb (SEED)
[ I or T ] specialized biology to (cause a seed to) start growing:
The beans will only germinate if the temperature is warm enough.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Plant reproduction
- anther
- asexual reproduction
- barren
- bear
- cross-pollination
- endosperm
- fruit
- micropyle
- pollen
- pollinate
- propagate
- self-pollination
- sporangium
- spore
- stamen
- stigma
- wind pollination
germinate verb (IDEA)
[ I ] to start developing:
I felt an idea germinating in my head/mind.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Starting and beginning
- be in the first flush of idiom
- become
- begin
- branch out
- break into sth
- export
- ground
- incipient
- initiator
- instate
- introduce
- kick
- kick-start
- strike
- swing into action idiom
- touch sth off
- train
- trigger
- wade in
- weave
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germination
noun [ U ] uk/ˌdʒɜː.mɪˈneɪ.ʃən/us/ˌdʒɝː.məˈneɪ.ʃən/