imbricate

[ adjective im-bri-kit, -keyt; verb im-bri-keyt ]
See synonyms for imbricate on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. overlapping in sequence, as tiles or shingles on a roof.

  2. of, relating to, or resembling overlapping tiles, as decoration or drawings.

  1. Biology. overlapping like tiles, as scales or leaves.

  2. characterized by or as if by overlapping shingles.

verb (used with or without object),im·bri·cat·ed, im·bri·cat·ing.
  1. to overlap, as tiles or shingles.

Origin of imbricate

1
1650–60; <Late Latin imbricātus tiled with imbrices, shaped like such a tile or tiling, equivalent to imbric- (stem of imbrex) imbrex + -ātus-ate1

Other words from imbricate

  • im·bri·cate·ly, adverb
  • im·bri·ca·tive, adjective
  • non·im·bri·cate, adjective
  • non·im·bri·cate·ly, adverb
  • non·im·bri·cat·ed, adjective
  • non·im·bri·cat·ing, adjective
  • non·im·bri·ca·tive, adjective
  • sub·im·bri·cate, adjective
  • sub·im·bri·cate·ly, adverb
  • sub·im·bri·cat·ed, adjective
  • sub·im·bri·ca·tive, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for imbricate

imbricate

adjective(ˈɪmbrɪkɪt, -ˌkeɪt) imbricated
  1. architect relating to or having tiles, shingles, or slates that overlap

  2. botany (of leaves, scales, etc) overlapping each other

verb(ˈɪmbrɪˌkeɪt)
  1. (tr) to decorate with a repeating pattern resembling scales or overlapping tiles

Origin of imbricate

1
C17: from Latin imbricāre to cover with overlapping tiles, from imbrex pantile

Derived forms of imbricate

  • imbricately, adverb
  • imbrication, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012