ACUMINATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does acuminate mean? 

• ACUMINATE (adjective)
  The adjective ACUMINATE has 1 sense:

1. (of a leaf shape) narrowing to a slender point

  Familiarity information: ACUMINATE used as an adjective is very rare.

• ACUMINATE (verb)
  The verb ACUMINATE has 1 sense:

1. make sharp or acute; taper; make (something) come to a point

  Familiarity information: ACUMINATE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ACUMINATE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(of a leaf shape) narrowing to a slender point

Similar:

simple; unsubdivided ((botany) of leaf shapes; of leaves having no divisions or subdivisions)

Derivation:

acumen (a tapering point)

• ACUMINATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they acuminate    ... he / she / it acuminates   
Past simple: acuminated   
Past participle: acuminated   
-ing form: acuminating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make sharp or acute; taper; make (something) come to a point

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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

point; sharpen; taper (give a point to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

acumen (shrewdness shown by keen insight)

acumen (a tapering point)

 Context examples 

An orally bioavailable, semi-synthetic lipophilic analogue of camptothecin, a quinoline alkaloid extracted from the Asian tree Camptotheca acuminate, with potential antineoplastic and antiangiogenic activities.

(Gimatecan, NCI Thesaurus)

Also called: Condylomata Acuminata, Condylomata acuminate, Venereal warts

(Genital Warts, NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)