un·du·late
ˈən-jə-lət 
ˈən-dyə-
ˈən-dyə-
ˈən-də-,
-ˌlāt
variants
or undulated
: having a wavy surface, edge, or markings
the undulate margin of a leaf
un·du·late
ˈən-jə-ˌlāt
ˈən-dyə-,
ˈən-də-
undulated; undulating
1
: to form or move in waves : fluctuate
2
: to rise and fall in volume, pitch, or cadence
3
: to present a wavy appearance
: to cause to move in a wavy, sinuous, or flowing manner
Did you know?
Make Waves With the History of Undulate
Undulate and inundate (“to cover something with a flood of water”) are word cousins that flow from unda, the Latin word for “wave.” No surprise there. But would you have guessed that abound, surround, and redound are also unda offspring? While their modern definitions have nothing to do with waves or water, at some point in their early histories, they all meant “to overflow,” and caught a wave from there.
Examples of undulate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Karen Campbell, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Mar. 2023
Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2024
Once free of the stomach, the eel would poke its tail from the gills and undulate until the rest of its body emerged.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN, 13 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for undulate 
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Adjective
As fingers curl and undulate, arms criss-crossing, the dancer spun and lunged.
—Karen Campbell, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Mar. 2023
Verb
The 300-acres of undulating meadows and woodland present massive sculptures by artists like Janet Cardiff, Jeff Koons, Ellsworth Kelly, Simone Leigh and more.
—Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2024
Once free of the stomach, the eel would poke its tail from the gills and undulate until the rest of its body emerged.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN, 13 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for undulate
Dictionary Entries Near undulate
Cite this Entry
“Undulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undulate. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
undulate
adjective
un·du·late
ˈən-jə-lət
ˈən-d(y)ə-
-ˌlāt
ˈən-d(y)ə-
-ˌlāt
: having a wavy surface, edge, or markings
an undulate cell
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