geminate

1 of 2

adjective

gem·​i·​nate ˈje-mə-nət How to pronounce geminate (audio) -ˌnāt How to pronounce geminate (audio)
1
: arranged in pairs : duplicate
2
: being a sequence of identical speech sounds (as in meanness or Italian notte \ˈnȯt-te\ "night")

geminate

2 of 2

verb

gem·​i·​nate ˈje-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce geminate (audio)
geminated; geminating

transitive verb

: to make geminate

intransitive verb

: to be or become geminate
gemination
ˌje-mə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce geminate (audio)
noun

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin geminatus, past participle of geminare to double, from geminus twin

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1637, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of geminate was in the 15th century

Rhymes for geminate

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Cite this Entry

“Geminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/geminate. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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Medical Definition

geminate

adjective
gem·​i·​nate ˈjem-ə-nət, -ˌnāt How to pronounce geminate (audio)
: arranged in pairs
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