imbricate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb place so as to overlap
    • imbricate the roof tiles
  2. verb overlap
    • The roof tiles imbricate
  3. adjective satellite used especially of leaves or bracts; overlapping or layered as scales or shingles
    imbricated.

WordNet

Im"bri*cate, Im"bri*ca`ted adjective (Also<
  • Imbricate
  • Imbricated
)
Etymology
L. imbricatus, p.p. of imbricare to cover with tiles, to form like a gutter tile, fr. imbrex, -icis, a hollow tile, gutter tile, fr. imber rain.
Definitions
  1. Bent and hollowed like a roof or gutter tile.
  2. Lying over each other in regular order, so as to "break joints," like tiles or shingles on a roof, the scales on the leaf buds of plants and the cups of some acorns, or the scales of fishes; overlapping each other at the margins, as leaves in æstivation.
  3. In decorative art: Having scales lapping one over the other, or a representation of such scales; as, an imbricated surface; an imbricated pattern.
Im"bri*cate transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To lay in order, one lapping over another, so as to form an imbricated surface.

Webster 1913