Definitions for culminateˈkʌl məˌneɪt

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

cul•mi•nateˈkʌl məˌneɪt(v.)-nat•ed, -nat•ing.

(v.i.)to reach the highest point or highest development (usu. fol. by in).
to arrive at a final or climactic stage (usu. fol. by in).
to rise to an apex (usu. fol. by in):
a tower culminating in a tall spire.
(of a celestial body) to be on the meridian, or reach the highest or the lowest altitude.
Category: Astronomy
(v.t.)to bring to a close.

Origin of culminate:

1640–50; < LL culminātus, ptp. of culmināre to come to a peak, der. of L culmen, s. culmin- peak

Princeton's WordNet

culminate, climax(verb)
end, especially to reach a final or climactic stage
"The meeting culminated in a tearful embrace"
culminate(verb)
bring to a head or to the highest point
"Seurat culminated pointillism"
culminate(verb)
reach the highest or most decisive point
culminate(verb)
reach the highest altitude or the meridian, of a celestial body
culminate(verb)
rise to, or form, a summit
"The helmet culminated in a crest"

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

culminate(verb)ˈkʌl məˌneɪt
to have a particular result or ending
years of swimming that culminated in an Olympic gold medal

Wiktionary

culminate(Verb)
Of a heavenly body, to be at the highest point, reach its greatest altitude.
culminate(Verb)
To reach the (physical) summit, highest point, peak etc.
culminate(Verb)
To reach a climax; to come to the decisive point (especially as an end or conclusion).
culminate(Verb)
To finalize, bring to a conclusion, form the climax of.

Origin: Recorded since 1647, from culminatus, the past participle of culminare, from culmen, older form columen, from a Proto-Indo-European base *kel- "to project".

Webster Dictionary

Culminate(verb)
to reach its highest point of altitude; to come to the meridian; to be vertical or directly overhead
Culminate(verb)
to reach the highest point, as of rank, size, power, numbers, etc
Culminate(adj)
growing upward, as distinguished from a lateral growth; -- applied to the growth of corals