pollinate

verb

pol·​li·​nate ˈpä-lə-ˌnāt How to pronounce pollinate (audio)
pollinated; pollinating

transitive verb

1
: to carry out the pollination of
2
: to mark or smudge with pollen

Examples of pollinate in a Sentence

The plants are pollinated by bees.
Recent Examples on the Web Aspen, cedar, cottonwood, and juniper may pollinate as early as December in the dry climates of the Southwest. Ann Pietrangelo, Verywell Health, 8 July 2024 According to Raul Puente with Desert Botanical Garden, the Queen of the Night is pollinated by a moth, which is active at night. Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 30 June 2024 Bees are responsible for pollinating 80% of the world’s flowering plants. Melissa Rae Sanger, The Mercury News, 27 June 2024 Honeybees are often hailed as heroes for pollinating crops that feed the world. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for pollinate 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pollinate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pollinate was in 1873

Dictionary Entries Near pollinate

Cite this Entry

“Pollinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pollinate. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

pollinate

verb
pol·​li·​nate ˈpäl-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce pollinate (audio)
pollinated; pollinating
: to place pollen on the stigma of

More from Merriam-Webster on pollinate

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