PULLULATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does pullulate mean? 

• PULLULATE (verb)
  The verb PULLULATE has 5 senses:

1. be teeming, be abuzz

2. move in large numbers

3. produce buds, branches, or germinate

4. become abundant; increase rapidly

5. breed freely and abundantly

  Familiarity information: PULLULATE used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PULLULATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they pullulate    ... he / she / it pullulates   
Past simple: pullulated   
Past participle: pullulated   
-ing form: pullulating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be teeming, be abuzz

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

pullulate; swarm; teem

Context example:

her mind pullulated with worries

Hypernyms (to "pullulate" is one way to...):

buzz; hum; seethe (be noisy with activity)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "pullulate"):

crawl (be full of)

Sentence frame:

Something is ----ing PP

Sense 2

Meaning:

Move in large numbers

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

pour; pullulate; stream; swarm; teem

Context example:

beggars pullulated in the plaza

Hypernyms (to "pullulate" is one way to...):

crowd; crowd together (to gather together in large numbers)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "pullulate"):

pour out; spill out; spill over (be disgorged)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 3

Meaning:

Produce buds, branches, or germinate

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

bourgeon; burgeon forth; germinate; pullulate; shoot; sprout; spud

Context example:

the potatoes sprouted

Hypernyms (to "pullulate" is one way to...):

grow (increase in size by natural process)

Verb group:

germinate (cause to grow or sprout)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

pullulation (asexual reproduction in which a local growth on the surface or in the body of the parent becomes a separate individual)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Become abundant; increase rapidly

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "pullulate" is one way to...):

increase (become bigger or greater in amount)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

pullulation (a rapid and abundant increase)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Breed freely and abundantly

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "pullulate" is one way to...):

breed; multiply (have young (animals) or reproduce (organisms))

Sentence frame:

Something ----s