culminate

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   Of a heavenly body, to be at the highest point, reach its greatest altitude.

2. 2

   To reach the (physical or figurative) summit, highest point, peak etc.

   • As when his beams at noon / Culminate from the equator.
   • The type of Cycads culminated in the Mesozoic
   • The house of Burgundy was rapidly culminating.
3. 3

   To reach a climax

   To reach a climax; to come to a decisive point, especially an end or conclusion.

   • Their messy breakup culminated in a restraining order.
   • The class will culminate with a rigorous examination.
   • Mr. Bush has been marking the fifth anniversary of Sept. 11 with a series of speeches about terrorism that culminated with his televised address last night.
4. ›+ 4 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      To reach a point at which continued progress is not possible.

      • Approaching from the south on foot, elements of the CG battalion were first to come into contact and their attack culminated because the rate and accuracy of the VC small arms fire. The CG battalions attempted two assaults to penetrate[…]
      • As a result, the attack culminated the first day without additional artillery support. The towns of Eclisfontaine and Epinonville were not held on the first day as originally directed in the Corps plan.
   2. 5

      To finalize, bring to a conclusion, form the climax of.

      • The announcement by Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott in Canberra culminated more than a fortnight of intensive political horse-trading.
   3. 6

      Relating to the culmen.

   4. 7

      Growing upward, as opposed to lateral growth.

The neighborhood

• neighborculm
• neighborculminant
• neighborculminating
• neighborculmination