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# propagate

verb (propagate, propagates, propagated, propagating)

«propagate» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To grow new plants from a parent plant, for example from cuttings, seeds or runners. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/propagate/#m1)
2. (of plants and animals) To breed or reproduce. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/propagate/#m2)
3. (formal) To spread an idea, news or belief to many people. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/propagate/#m3)
4. (science) For sound, light or waves to travel through something. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/propagate/#m4)

### In the lessons

In science and gardening, pupils propagate spider plants, strawberries or geraniums from cuttings or runners. In history and citizenship, propaganda (from the same root) propagates ideas. In physics, sound propagates through air, water and solids but not through space. Phrases: «propagate from cuttings», «propagate a rumour», «waves propagate».

### Examples

- We propagated new spider plants from the babies on the runners. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/propagate/#x1)
- Gardeners propagate roses from cuttings. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/propagate/#x2)
- Strawberries propagate by sending out runners. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/propagate/#x3)
- Sound cannot propagate through empty space. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/propagate/#x4)
- The newspaper propagated a false story. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/propagate/#x5)
- Some trees propagate by seeds carried on the wind. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/propagate/#x6)

### Note

Past «propagated». Noun «propagation». Formal word; everyday words are «grow», «spread». Related: «propaganda». Trap: do not confuse with «propel» (push forward).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «propagate» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/propagate/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«propagate» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/propagate.html) on Mova free.