v., -ated, -ating, -ates.
v.intr.
- To grow or multiply by rapidly producing new tissue, parts, cells, or offspring.
- To increase or spread at a rapid rate: fears that nuclear weapons might proliferate.
To cause to grow or increase rapidly.
[Back-formation from PROLIFERATION, the act of proliferating, from French prolifration, from prolifre, procreative : Latin prōlēs, prōl-, offspring; see proliferous + Latin -fer, -fer.]
proliferation prolif'era'tion n.proliferative prolif'era'tive adj.
proliferator prolif'era'tor n.
