populate

[ pop-yuh-leyt ]
/ ˈpɒp yəˌleɪt /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR populate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), pop·u·lat·ed, pop·u·lat·ing.

to inhabit; live in; be the inhabitants of.
to furnish with inhabitants, as by colonization; people.

Origin of populate

1570–80; < Medieval Latin populātus, past participle of populāre to inhabit. See people, -ate1

OTHER WORDS FROM populate

Words nearby populate

popular sovereignty, popular vote, popularity, popularize, popularly, populate, population, population control, population explosion, population genetics, population inversion

Words related to repopulate

spawn, proliferate, breed, propagate, hatch, multiply, impregnate, fecundate, engender, sire, father, bear, procreate, mother, beget, generate

Example sentences from the Web for repopulate

British Dictionary definitions for repopulate (1 of 2)

repopulate
/ (riːˈpɒpjʊˌleɪt) /

verb (tr)

to provide a new population for (an area in which the population has declined)

British Dictionary definitions for repopulate (2 of 2)

populate
/ (ˈpɒpjʊˌleɪt) /

verb (tr)

(often passive) to live in; inhabit
to provide a population for; colonize or people

Word Origin for populate

C16: from Medieval Latin populāre to provide with inhabitants, from Latin populus people