culminate

To culminate is to reach the highest point or to reach a point that all other things have been leading up to.

(verb)

An example of culminate is the highest point of tension in a movie to which all story lines have been leading.

See culminate in Webster's New World College Dictionary

Origin: < ML culminatus, pp. of culminare < L culmen (gen. culminis), peak, summit, contr. of columen: see column

transitive verb

to bring to its climax; cap

See culminate in American Heritage Dictionary 4

cul·mi·nate

verb, intransitive culminated cul·mi·nat·ed, culminating cul·mi·nat·ing, cul·mi·nates

a. To reach the highest point or degree; climax: habitual antagonism that culminated in open hostility.
b. To come to completion; end: Years of waiting culminated in a tearful reunion.
Astronomy To reach the highest point above an observer's horizon. Used of stars and other celestial bodies.

verb, transitive

To bring to the point of greatest intensity or to completion; climax: The ceremony culminated a long week of preparation.

Origin: Late Latin culmināre, culmināt-, from Latin culmen, culmin-, summit; see kel-² in Indo-European roots.

Related Forms: