propagate
verb
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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
Ken Makin, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 June 2024
On the national level, allegations of widespread election fraud continue to propagate over the 2020 presidential election.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2024
These grasses take advantage of rare bursts of rain to propagate, then die, forming a carpet of fire fuel on the desert floor.
—Eric Zerkel, CNN, 9 June 2024
According to industry lore, Rudolph Hass, a postman and amateur horticulturalist in Southern California, stumbled on a new variety in the late 1920s while trying to propagate a variety called Rideout.
—Viridiana Hernández Fernández, Discover Magazine, 3 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for propagate 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'propagate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Propagate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propagate. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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propagate
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propagate
verb
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