rep ‧ li ‧ cate /ˈrepləkeɪt, ˈreplɪkeɪt/ BrE AmE verb
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: past participle of replicare ; ⇨ ↑ reply 1 ]
1 . [transitive] formal if you replicate someone’s work, a scientific study etc, you do it again, or try to get the same result again:
There is a need for further research to replicate these findings.
2 . [intransitive and transitive] technical if a ↑ virus or a ↑ molecule replicates, or if it replicates itself, it divides and produces exact copies of itself:
the ability of DNA to replicate itself
—replication /ˌrepləˈkeɪʃ ə n, ˌreplɪˈkeɪʃ ə n/ noun [uncountable and countable]