copulate

verb

cop·​u·​late ˈkä-pyə-ˌlāt How to pronounce copulate (audio)
copulated; copulating

intransitive verb

: to engage in sexual intercourse
copulation noun
copulatory adjective

Examples of copulate in a Sentence

Some animals have complex mating rituals before they copulate. the time of year when deer in the wild are likely to copulate
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Religious leaders specified days on which, for medical or liturgical reasons, married couples were not to copulate—one Irish rule book from the early seventh century excluded a good two-thirds of the year. S. C. Cornell, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025 Once the toxin took effect, males mounted the females and copulated for between 40 and 75 minutes, without the risk of being gobbled up. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Mar. 2025 On his shirt, little hippos copulated against a pastel-blue cotton background. airmail.news, 7 Dec. 2024 Advertisement The lawsuit alleges Harris comforted the boy and during the encounter began forcibly orally copulating the teen. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for copulate

Word History

Etymology

Latin copulatus, past participle of copulare to join, from copula — see copula

First Known Use

1630, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of copulate was in 1630

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Copulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/copulate. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

copulate

verb
cop·​u·​late ˈkäp-yə-ˌlāt How to pronounce copulate (audio)
copulated; copulating
: to engage in sexual intercourse
copulation noun
copulatory adjective

Medical Definition

copulate

intransitive verb
cop·​u·​late ˈkäp-yə-ˌlāt How to pronounce copulate (audio)
copulated; copulating
1
: to engage in sexual intercourse
2
of gametes : to fuse permanently compare conjugate sense 1
copulation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on copulate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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