v.
Pronunciation: ' prä-p ə - ˌ g ā t
Function: verb
Inflected Form: -gat · ed ; -gat · ing
Etymology: Latin propagatus, past participle of propagare to set slips, propagate, from propages slip, offspring, from pro- before + pangere to fasten ― more at PRO- , PACT
Date: circa 1570
transitive verb
1 : to cause to continue or increase by sexual or asexual reproduction
2 : to pass along to offspring
3 a : to cause to spread out and affect a greater number or greater area : EXTEND b : to foster growing knowledge of, familiarity with, or acceptance of (as an idea or belief) : PUBLICIZE c : to transmit (as sound or light) through a medium
intransitive verb
1 : to multiply sexually or asexually
2 : INCREASE , EXTEND
3 : to travel through space or a material ― used of wave energy (as light, sound, or radio waves)
– prop · a · ga · tive \ - ˌ g ā -tiv \ adjective
– prop · a · ga · tor \ - ˌ g ā -t ə r \ noun