relating to or having tiles, shingles, or slates that overlap
2. botany
(of leaves, scales, etc) overlapping each other
verb (ˈɪmbrɪˌkeɪt)
3. (transitive)
to decorate with a repeating pattern resembling scales or overlapping tiles
Derived forms
imbricately (ˈimbricately)
adverb
imbrication (ˌimbriˈcation)
noun
Word origin
C17: from Latin imbricāre to cover with overlapping tiles, from imbrex pantile
imbricate in American English
(ˈɪmbrɪkɪt; also, and for v. always, ˈɪmbrɪˌkeɪt)
adjective
1.
overlapping evenly, as tiles or fish scales do
2.
ornamented with overlapping scales or a pattern like this
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈimbriˌcated or imbriˌcating
3.
to place (tiles, shingles, etc.) in overlapping order
verb intransitive
4.
to overlap
Derived forms
imbricately (ˈimbricately)
adverb
Word origin
LL imbricatus, pp. of L imbricare, to cover with gutter tiles < imbrax, gutter tile < imber, rain < IE base *ṃbh-, var. of *nebh-, moist, water > Gr nephos, cloud, Ger nebel, fog