implicate

C1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈɪmplɪkeɪt/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like imprecate /l/ vs /r/

Freq #19973

Meanings

1

verb
To show that someone is involved in something wrong, especially a crime.

The new evidence implicated two senior officials in the fraud.
2

verb
To suggest or imply something as a necessary result.

His refusal to answer implicated that he had something to hide.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to suggest or imply... entail

Word family

Forms implicatedimplicatesimplicating

Derived forms disimplicateimplicatorynonimplicatedunimplicateunimplicated

Related forms implication implicativeimplicatureimplicit implicitness imply

Etymology

First attested in the 15th century, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English implicaten (poorly attested), from implicat(e) (“wrapped, entwined; involved, connected (with)”, possibly also used as the past participle of implicaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), borrowed from Latin implicātus, perfect passive participle of implicō (“to entangle, involve”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from plicō (“to fold”). Doublet of imply and employ.

*pleḱ- Proto-Indo-European implicaten Middle English implicātus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# implicate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈɪmplɪkeɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 19973

## Meanings
1. To show that someone is involved in something wrong, especially a crime.
2. To suggest or imply something as a necessary result.

## Examples
- The new evidence implicated two senior officials in the fraud.
- His refusal to answer implicated that he had something to hide.

## Derived Forms
- disimplicate
- implicatory
- nonimplicated
- unimplicate
- unimplicated

## Related Forms
- implication
- implicative
- implicature
- implicit
- implicitness
- imply

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *pleḱ-
- Root: implicaten
- Root: implicātus

## Etymology
First attested in the 15th century, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English implicaten (poorly attested), from implicat(e) (“wrapped, entwined; involved, connected (with)”, possibly also used as the past participle of implicaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), borrowed from Latin implicātus, perfect passive participle of implicō (“to entangle, involve”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from plicō (“to fold”). Doublet of imply and employ.

## AI Etymology
Implicate is first attested in the 15th century, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English implicaten (poorly attested), from implicat(e) (“wrapped, entwined; involved, connected (with)”, possibly also used as the past participle of implicaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), borrowed from Latin implicātus, perfect passive participle of implicō (“to entangle, involve”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from plicō (“to fold”). Doublet of imply and employ. In present-day use, it can mean to show that someone is involved in something wrong, especially a crime, or to suggest or imply something as a necessary result.

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

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