What does invaginate mean?
Invaginate means to fold, turn, or draw something inward, especially a membrane or tissue, so that it creates a pocket or cavity. The word is most common in biology and anatomy, where it describes processes such as a cell membrane folding inward to form a vesicle or an epithelial sheet developing into a tube. Its Latin name reflects the same image: invaginate ultimately comes from a word meaning “to fold into a sheath.” In general writing, the verb has a precise, technical sound and should usually be reserved for describing an actual inward folding or invagination rather than used as a loose substitute for “put inside.” It is the opposite of evaginate, which means to turn or fold outward.
verbTo fold, turn, or draw inward, especially a membrane or other tissue, so that it forms a pocket or cavity.
- To fold or turn inward, especially a membrane, tissue, or organ, forming a pocket or cavity.
"The cell membrane invaginates to form a small vesicle."
"The cell membrane invaginates to form a small vesicle."
"The epithelial sheet invaginates during development, creating a tubular structure."
Invaginate comes from Latin for “into a sheath” — a vivid description of tissue folding inward to make a pocket.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does invaginate come from?
Invaginate comes from Latin invagināre, formed from in-, meaning “into,” and vagina, meaning “sheath” or “covering.” Its English use is especially associated with anatomical and biological descriptions of a membrane or tissue folding inward. Evaginate is a cognate formed with ex- and denotes the opposite operation, while vaginal preserves the same underlying Latin noun.
Related word forms
How invaginate is actually used
This is a formal, technical, and relatively uncommon verb, used chiefly in biology, embryology, anatomy, and related scientific writing. It may be used transitively or intransitively.
Easily confused with invaginate
Invaginate means to fold or turn inward, whereas evaginate means to turn or fold outward.