culminate
verb
Frederick Marryat
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When a star or other heavenly body culminates, it reaches its highest point above the horizon from the vantage point of an observer on the ground. Culminate was drawn from Medieval Latin culminare, meaning "to crown," specifically for this astronomical application. Its ultimate root is Latin culmen, meaning "top." Today, the word’s typical context is less lofty: it can mean “to reach a climactic point,” as in “a long career culminating in a prestigious award,” but it can also simply mean "to reach the end of something,” as in “a sentence culminating in a period.”
Examples of culminate in a Sentence
Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2025
That means now’s the time to explore other parts of the park that many visitors bypass—from the challenging Blue Creek Trail that climbs up to the mountains from the desert floor, to the Pine Canyon Trail, which culminates at a 200-foot creek pour-off that only runs during wet years.
—Pam Leblanc, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2024
The reason for the second increase stems from a yearslong court battle which culminated in July.
—Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 27 Dec. 2024
Washington’s final drive — nine plays, 57 yards — culminated with a 9-yard, game-winning touchdown strike to wide receiver Jamison Crowder with six seconds remaining.
—Ben Standig, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Culminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culminate. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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culminate
verb
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