IMBRICATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does imbricate mean? 

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

1. used especially of leaves or bracts; overlapping or layered as scales or shingles

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

• IMBRICATE (verb)
  The verb IMBRICATE has 2 senses:

1. place so as to overlap

2. overlap

  Familiarity information: IMBRICATE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• IMBRICATE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Used especially of leaves or bracts; overlapping or layered as scales or shingles

Synonyms:

imbricate; imbricated

Similar:

rough; unsmooth (having or caused by an irregular surface)

Domain category:

botany; phytology (the branch of biology that studies plants)

• IMBRICATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they imbricate    ... he / she / it imbricates   
Past simple: imbricated   
Past participle: imbricated   
-ing form: imbricating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Place so as to overlap

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

imbricate the roof tiles

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

lay; place; pose; position; put; set (put into a certain place or abstract location)

Verb group:

imbricate (overlap)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

imbrication (covering with a design in which one element covers a part of another (as with tiles or shingles))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Overlap

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

The roof tiles imbricate

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

overlap (extend over and cover a part of)

Verb group:

imbricate (place so as to overlap)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

imbrication (covering with a design in which one element covers a part of another (as with tiles or shingles))

 Context examples 

The regular flowers have five short, subequal, entire, imbricate, basally connate sepals, and five persistent-withering yellow petals.

(Hypericum perforatum, NCI Thesaurus)