I. ˈkänjə̇gə̇t, -jēg-, -jəˌgāt; usu -d.+V adjective
Etymology: Middle English conjugat, from Latin conjugatus, past participle of conjugare to unite, fr com- + jugare to join, marry, from jugum yoke — more at yoke
1. : yoked or joined together especially in pairs : mated, coupled
conjugate relationship
: acting or operating as if joined
conjugate foci
: simultaneous
conjugate deviation of the eyes
conjugate effect of two forces
2. : bearing to each other a relation characterized by having certain features in common but by being opposite or inverse in some particular
conjugate complex numbers
conjugate axes of a pendulum
conjugate foci of a lens
3.
a. : bijugate
b. : of or relating to algae that reproduce sexually by conjugation
4. of words in the same language : having the same derivation and therefore usually some likeness in meaning
just, justice, justly are conjugate
5.
a. : conjugated 2
b. of acids and bases in pairs : related by the difference of a proton
the acid NH 4 + and the base NH 3 are conjugate to each other
c. : relating to layers of immiscible solutions that can exist side by side at equilibrium
6. of two leaves of a book : forming a single piece
7. : so formed that one gear will drive the other with constant relative angular speed — used of a pair of gear teeth or of gear teeth profiles; also : relating to such gear teeth or profiles
• con·ju·gate·ly adverb
• con·ju·gate·ness noun -es
II. -jəˌgāt, usu -ād.+V verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Latin conjugatus
transitive verb
1. : to give in some prescribed order the various inflectional forms of : inflect — used especially of a verb, rarely of a preposition
conjugate the Latin verb amare
2. : to join together : yoke , couple
3. of a chemical compound : to unite (as with the elimination of water) so that the product is easily broken down (as by hydrolysis) into the original compounds
benzoic acid is conjugated with glycine to hippuric acid in the body
intransitive verb
1. : to join together ; specifically : to unite in marriage
2. biology : to unite in pairs:
a. : to fuse especially in conjugation
b. : to pair in synapsis
III. like conjugate I noun
( -s )
Etymology: in sense 1, from Latin conjugatus etymologically related, past participle of conjugare to unite; in senses 2 & 4, from conjugate (I) ; in sense 3, from New Latin Conjugatae
1. : a word that has the same derivation as another in the same language and that therefore usually resembles it in meaning
2.
a. : conjugate axis
b. : conjugate diameter
3. : an alga of the order Zygnematales
4. chemistry : a substance that is conjugated (sense 2a)
IV. adjective
: relating to or being conjugate complex numbers
complex roots occurring in conjugate pairs
V. noun
1. : conjugate complex number
2. : an element of a mathematical group that is equal to a given element of the group multiplied on the right by another element and on the left by the inverse of the latter element