germinate
UK: /ˈdʒɜː.mɪ.neɪt/ | US: /ˈdʒɝː.mɪ.neɪt/
vi. to begin to grow or develop, especially from a seed
vt. to cause (a seed or spore) to begin growing
germinate = germ<seed, bud> + inate<verb suffix indicating process>
- germ (from Latin germen, meaning "sprout, bud, embryo")
- inate (a verb-forming suffix derived from Latin -inare, indicating an action or process)
Etymology Origin:
The word "germinate" traces back to Latin germinare, meaning "to sprout or bud," from germen (seed, origin). The suffix -ate was later added in English to form the verb. The logic is straightforward: "germ" (the seed) + "inate" (the process of activation), reflecting the biological transition from dormancy to growth.
Seeds need warmth and moisture to germinate.
The idea began to germinate in his mind after the meeting.
These plants germinate quickly in fertile soil.
Farmers wait for the right conditions to germinate their crops.
The project germinated from a simple conversation.