Culminate

Pronunciation

Origin

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

Full definition of culminate

Verb

1. (intransitive, astronomy) Of a heavenly body, to be at the highest point, reach its greatest altitude.
2. (intransitive) To reach the (physical) summit, highest point, peak etc.
• MiltonAs when his beams at noon
  Culminate from the equator.
• DanaThe reptile race culminated in the secondary era.
• MotleyThe house of Burgundy was rapidly culminating.
3. (intransitive) To reach a climax; to come to the decisive point (especially as an end or conclusion).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.The class will culminate with a rigorous examination.
4. (transitive) To finalize, bring to a conclusion, form the climax of.
• 2010, "By the skin of her teeth", The Economist, 7 Sep 2010:The announcement by Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott in Canberra culminated more than a fortnight of intensive political horse-trading.

Synonyms

• peak

Related terms

• culm
• culminant
• culmination
• culminating
• culminated