From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
germinate
v 1: produce buds, branches, or germinate; "the potatoes
sprouted" [syn: shoot, spud, pullulate,
bourgeon, burgeon forth, sprout]
2: work out; "We have developed a new theory of evolution"
[syn: evolve, develop]
3: cause to grow or sprout; "the plentiful rain germinated my
plants"
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Germinate \Ger"mi*nate\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Germinated; p.
pr. & vb. n. Germinating.] [L. germinatus, p. p. of
germinare to sprout, fr. germen. See Germ.]
To sprout; to bud; to shoot; to begin to vegetate, as a plant
or its seed; to begin to develop, as a germ. --Bacon.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Germinate \Ger"mi*nate\, v. t.
To cause to sprout. --Price (1610).
[1913 Webster]