intercalate

Meanings

1. To insert an extra leap day into a calendar in order to maintain synchrony with natural phenomena.
2. To insert an extra month into a calendar for the same purpose, such as for the Hebrew calendar.
3. To insert a substance between two or more molecules, bases, cells, or tissues.
4. To insert anything somewhere (especially between other things), such as an affix into a word. (Compare interpolate.)

1. An atom or molecule, or a substance, that enters between the layers of the crystal lattice of another substance, especially that of graphite.
2. A compound formed by foreign atoms or molecules entering between the layers of a crystal lattice, especially that of graphite.

Etymology

The verb is first attested in 1614, the noun in 1964; borrowed from Latin intercalātus, perfect passive participle of intercalō (“to proclaim that a day, an event, etc. has been intercalated; to insert”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (noun-forming suffix)), from inter- (“between, among”) + calō (“to call; to proclaim”).

Translations