culminate

Meanings

1. Of a heavenly body, to be at the highest point, reach its greatest altitude.
2. To reach the (physical or figurative) summit, highest point, peak etc.
3. To reach a climax; to come to a decisive point, especially an end or conclusion.
4. To reach a point at which continued progress is not possible.
5. To finalize, bring to a conclusion, form the climax of.

1. Relating to the culmen.
2. Growing upward, as opposed to lateral growth.

Etymology

First attested in 1647; borrowed from Medieval Latin culminātus, perfect passive participle of culminō (“to crown”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from Latin culmen (“peak, the highest point”), older form columen (“top, summit”), from Proto-Italic *kolamen, from a Proto-Indo-European base *kol-, *kelH- (“to project, rise; peak, summit, top”), whence also English hill and holm.