ovulate

[ ov-yuh-leyt, oh-vyuh-leyt- ]

verb (used without object)

, Biology.

, ov·u·lat·ed, ov·u·lat·ing.

1. to produce and discharge eggs from an ovary or ovarian follicle.

ovulate

/ ˈɒvjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. intr to produce or discharge eggs from an ovary

Derived Forms

• ˌovuˈlation, noun

Other Words From

• ovu·lation noun
• ov·u·la·to·ry [ov, -y, uh, -l, uh, -tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, oh, -vy, uh, -], adjective
• multi·ovu·late adjective
• multi·ovu·lated adjective
• pre·ovu·la·tory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ovulate¹

First recorded in 1860–65; ovule + -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of ovulate¹

C19: from ovule

Example Sentences

The process doesn’t require a patient to be ovulating, like egg freezing does, which means a patient doesn’t have to undergo hormone treatments.

From Salon

Among the findings, the atlas reveals that roughly one hour before an egg is released, the follicles undergo an additional layer of selection to determine which ones will ovulate.

From Science Daily

She notes that females add kilograms when they ovulate and lactate.

From Science Magazine

“Sometimes I wake up, and maybe it’s a fun day of my cycle, I’m ovulating, full of energy, and I can put on the hot girl mentality,” she says.

From Los Angeles Times

In the other, the whales weren’t pregnant during the first massive progesterone surge, but were instead experiencing a prolonged state of estrus or ovulating.

From New York Times