pulsate means to expand and contract rhythmically; to throb or to beat, exhibit a pulse. It carries an Arena rating of 1663, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, pulsate ranks #133 of 13,220 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #446 of 13,220 for Most Malleable Words, #1,352 of 13,220 for Most Beautiful Words, #2,427 of 13,220 for Most Vivid Words.
pulsate is pronounced /pʌlˈseɪt/.
Why “pulsate” is a great word
To expand and contract rhythmically; to throb or beat. Likely a 17th-century English back-formation from 'pulsation', itself from New Latin 'pulsātiō', ultimately from Latin 'pellō' ("to strike, drive"). Unlike "vibrate," which implies a constant, rapid tremor, or "oscillate," which suggests a mechanical swing between poles, to pulsate is to swell and subside in a living, wave-like rhythm. It is the deep, soft push of blood through a wrist at rest, the slow, silent bloom and collapse of a jellyfish in dark water, or the distant, subterranean thrum of generators in the night—the quiet, enduring proof that something is alive and moving from its core.
Etymology
Perhaps formed within English as a back-formation from pulsation (attested from the early 15th century, in Middle English). A figurative derivation from New Latin pulsō, pulsātum (“(of an organ) to pulse, to emit a pulse”, intransitive) is also possible, itself a back-formation of New Latin pulsātiō (“pulsation”, 14th century), or derived from classical Latin pulsō (“to strike repeatedly”, transitive) with semantic influence from classical pulsus (“a pulse”). Ultimately from Latin pellō (“to strike”). By surface analysis, pulse + -ate (verb-forming suffix). Doublet of push.
verb
- To expand and contract rhythmically; to throb or to beat, exhibit a pulse.
- To quiver, vibrate, or flash; as to the beat of music.“The party pulsated with revellers.”
- To pulse, to be full of life, energy: to bustle, thrive, flourish.
- To produce a recurring increase and decrease of some quantity.
Words closest in meaning
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