copulate

/'kɔpjuleit/

Thân thiện

A pair of birds copulate on a sturdy tree branch.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To engage in sexual intercourse: The act of joining together sexually for the purpose of reproduction or physical intimacy. This is the primary and most specific meaning of the word.

Usage

• Formality: "Copulate" is a formal, technical, or biological term. It is often used in scientific, medical, or legal contexts. It is not typically used in casual conversation.
• Subject: The verb is used with animals, including humans, when describing the physical act of sex in a clinical or objective manner.
• Grammar: It is an intransitive verb (it does not take a direct object). It can be used alone or followed by a prepositional phrase (e.g., ).

Examples

• Verb:
  • The biologists observed the animals as they began to copulate.
  • The study documented how often the species copulated during mating season.
  • In many species, the male and female must copulate for fertilization to occur.

Advanced Usage

• "to copulate with": This is the standard construction for specifying a partner.
  • The male bird will attempt to copulate with the female.

Variants and Related Words

• Copulation (n): The act or instance of copulating.
  • The copulation was brief.
• Copulatory (adj): Relating to or involved in copulation.
  • Copulatory behavior varies widely among mammals.

Synonyms

• Mate: (verb) Often used for animals. It can be slightly less formal than "copulate" but is still common in biological contexts.
• Breed: (verb) Emphasizes the reproductive purpose of the act.
• Have sexual intercourse: A more standard, though still formal, phrase for humans.

Antonyms

• Abstain: To refrain from sexual activity.
• Refrain: To hold oneself back from an action, including sexual activity.

Notes on Meaning and Context

• Clinical vs. Colloquial: "Copulate" deliberately avoids the emotional, romantic, or vulgar connotations of other words for sexual activity. It focuses on the mechanical or biological act.
• Scope: While it can be used for humans, its clinical tone makes it sound detached or scientific. In everyday English, phrases like "have sex," "make love," or slang terms are more common for humans.

Học thuật

Verb

1. engage in sexual intercourse
   • Birds mate in the Spring

Từ đồng nghĩa

• mate
• pair
• couple