propagate
verb
Did you know?
The origins of propagate are firmly rooted in the field of horticulture. The word is a 16th century Latin borrowing, ultimately from the verb propagare, which means "to set (onto a plant) a small shoot or twig cut for planting or grafting." The word's meaning quickly extended from the realm of the farm and field to less material kinds of reproduction, such as the spreading of ideas and beliefs. The similarity between propagate and propaganda is not coincidental; that word also comes to us from propagare, although it took a more circuitous route.
Examples of propagate in a Sentence
William Gavin, Quartz, 7 Jan. 2025
These waves then propagate and superpose on top of each other to adjust a robot face’s physical features depending on their reaction.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 Jan. 2025
Christopher Raia, the deputy assistant director of the FBI’s counterterrorism division, said in a Thursday press conference that Jabbar posted at least five videos propagating the ideology of ISIS, which the suspect claimed to have joined last year.
—Brad Dress, The Hill, 2 Jan. 2025
The graceful oscillations of manta fins propagate waves that move outward from the ray’s body and create vortices that spiral, pushing water backward and producing forward thrust.
—Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 31 Dec. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near propagate
Cite this Entry
“Propagate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propagate. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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propagate
verb
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propagate
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