propagate
verb
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The origins of propagate are firmly rooted in the field of horticulture. The word is a 16th century Latin borrowing, ultimately from the verb propagare, which means "to set (onto a plant) a small shoot or twig cut for planting or grafting." The word's meaning quickly extended from the realm of the farm and field to less material kinds of reproduction, such as the spreading of ideas and beliefs. The similarity between propagate and propaganda is not coincidental; that word also comes to us from propagare, although it took a more circuitous route.
Examples of propagate in a Sentence
Byhannah Richter, science.org, 7 Aug. 2024
Journalism about the QAnon phenomenon tends to examine the rampant spread of the vague set of conspiracy theories into mainstream society and perhaps wonders at the specific identities of those who propagate those theories from shady corners.
—Jonathan Russell Clark, Washington Post, 11 July 2024
These waves propagate outward in extremely slow motion, at rates of 15 to 20 kilometers per million years.
—Rudy Molinek, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Aug. 2024
But the assassination attempt was widely discussed on Chinese social media, where even high-profile academics propagated conspiracy theories of the gunman’s motives.
—Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 17 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for propagate 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'propagate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Propagate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propagate. Accessed 8 Sep. 2024.
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propagate
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propagate
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