[ger.mi.nate] vb -nat.ed ; -nat.ing [L germinatus, pp. of germinare to sprout, fr. germin-, germen bud, germ] vt (1610): to cause to sprout or develop ~ vi 1: to come into being: evolve "before Western civilization began to ~ --A. L. Kroeber"
2: to begin to grow: sprout -- ger.mi.na.tion n -- ger.mi.na.tive adj