germination

• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

germination (countable and uncountable, plural germinations)

1. The process of germinating; the beginning of vegetation or growth from a seed or spore; the first development of germs, either animal or vegetable.
   • 1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, New York, N.Y.: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page 5:

     Both groups, also, have already evolved precocious (intracapsular) spore germination.

• Not to be confused with gemination.