copulate

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈkɑpjəˌleɪt/ UK /ˈkɒpjʊleɪt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to engage in sexual intercourse

Many species copulate only during a brief breeding season.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to engage in sexual... mate breedfornicate

Word family

Forms copulationcopulationscopulative

Derived forms copulationcopulativecopulator

Related forms couple copula

Simplified etymology

Copulate, recorded from the later medieval period, originally meant “join.” It comes from the same source as couple: Latin copulare, formed from co- “together” and apere “fasten.”

Etymology

From Latin 'copulatus', past participle of 'copulare' ('to join, link together'), from 'copula' ('a bond, tie'), from 'co-' ('together') plus 'apere' ('to fasten').

copulare Latin copula Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# copulate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈkɑpjəˌleɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkɒpjʊleɪt/

## Meanings
1. to engage in sexual intercourse

## Examples
- Many species copulate only during a brief breeding season.

## Synonyms
- mate
- breed
- fornicate

## Derived Forms
- copulation
- copulative
- copulator

## Related Forms
- couple
- copula

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: copulare
- Root: copula

## Etymology
From Latin 'copulatus', past participle of 'copulare' ('to join, link together'), from 'copula' ('a bond, tie'), from 'co-' ('together') plus 'apere' ('to fasten').

## AI Etymology
Copulate comes from Latin 'copulatus', past participle of 'copulare' ('to join, link together'), from 'copula' ('a bond, tie'), from 'co-' ('together') plus 'apere' ('to fasten'). The historical trail runs through Latin copulare and Latin copula. Morphologically, the surface form is analyzable into prefixes, suffixes, compounds, or participial endings that carry part of the history. In modern use it means to engage in sexual intercourse. Derived formations include copulation, copulative, copulator; related forms include couple, copula.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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