Germination
/ˌdʒɜːr.mɪˈneɪ.ʃən/noun
The process by which a seed begins to grow and sprout.
Did you know?Germination comes from Latin germinare, “to sprout,” from germen, meaning a bud or shoot — a reminder that even “growth” in language begins as a tiny living burst.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ǵenh₁-
“to beget, produce, give birth”
Latin
Latin
gignere
“to beget, produce”
Latin
Latin
germen
“a bud, shoot, sprout; offspring”
Late Latin
Latin
germinare
“to sprout, bud, or put forth shoots”
Old French
Old French
germination
“sprouting, budding”
Modern English
English
germination
“the process of sprouting or beginning to grow”
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