culminate

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Verb 1.3.1 Synonyms 1.3.2 Related terms 1.3.3 Translations 1.3.4 External links 2 Italian 2.1 Verb form

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Recorded since 1647, from Mediaeval Latin culminatus, the past participle of culminare "to crown", < Latin culmen (“‘peak, the highest point’”), older form columen "top, summit", from a Proto-Indo-European base *kel- "to project".

[edit] Pronunciation

•  Audio (UK)^{help, file}

[edit] Verb

to culminate (third-person singular simple present culminates, present participle culminating, simple past and past participle culminated)

1. (intransitive) To reach the summit, highest point, peak (level) etc.; to build up to a climax.

   Their messy breakup culminated in a restraining order.

   New York Times Mr. Bush has been marking the fifth anniversary of Sept. 11 with a series of speeches about terrorism that culminated with his televised address last night.

2. (intransitive) To be directly overhead, rise
3. (intransitive) To end, reach the conclusion, deciding point or finish, especially in a climactic manner

   The class will culminate with a rigorous examination.

4. (transitive) To finalize, bring to a conclusion, especially a decisive one.

   The obstacle course culminates in the vaunted Leap of Death.

[edit] Synonyms

• peak

[edit] Related terms

• culm
• culminant
• culmination

[edit] Translations

[edit] External links

• culminate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• culminate in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

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[edit] Italian

[edit] Verb form

culminate

1. second person plural present tense of culminare
2. second person plural imperative of culminare