pullulate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb be teeming, be abuzz
    swarm; teem.
    • The garden was swarming with bees
    • The plaza is teeming with undercover policemen
    • her mind pullulated with worries
  2. verb move in large numbers
    swarm; teem; stream; pour.
    • people were pouring out of the theater
    • beggars pullulated in the plaza
  3. verb produce buds, branches, or germinate
    shoot; bourgeon; sprout; spud; burgeon forth; germinate.
    • the potatoes sprouted
  4. verb become abundant; increase rapidly
  5. verb breed freely and abundantly

WordNet

Pul"lu*late intransitive verb
Etymology
L. pullulatus, p. p. of pullulare to sprout, from pullulus a young animal, a sprout, dim. of pullus. See pullet.
Definitions
  1. To germinate; to bud; to multiply abundantly. Warburton.

Webster 1913