Standard Lemma guide

corrugate

adj · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈkɒɹ.ʊˌɡeɪt/
  • US: /ˈkɔɹ.əˌɡeɪt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: K AO1 R AH0 G EY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Corrugated, wrinkled, crumpled, furrowed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To wrinkle (the skin).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To fold into parallel folds, grooves or ridges.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Galvanised rust-resistant weatherproof corrugated sheet roof

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

fold into ridges

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • corrugate iron

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: fold, fold up, turn up

History

Etymology

The verb is first attested in 1620, the adjective in 1745; borrowed from Latin corrūgātus, perfect passive participle of Latin corrūgō (“to wrinkle, corrugate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from con- + rūga (“wrinkle, crease”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix). Cognate with Spanish acurrucar (“to snuggle; to curl up due to cold; to huddle”).

Across languages

Translations

25 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: набръчквам (nabrǎčkvam) — (of the skin) to wrinkle
  • Bulgarian: набръчкам (nabrǎčkam) — (of the skin) to wrinkle
  • Dutch: rimpelen — (of the skin) to wrinkle
  • Finnish: rypistää — (of the skin) to wrinkle
  • German: runzeln — (of the skin) to wrinkle
  • German: schrumpeln — (of the skin) to wrinkle
  • German: verschrumpeln — (of the skin) to wrinkle
  • Hungarian: ráncolódik — (of the skin) to wrinkle
  • Hungarian: ráncosodik — (of the skin) to wrinkle
  • Hungarian: ráncos lesz — (of the skin) to wrinkle
  • Russian: мо́рщиться (mórščitʹsja) — (of the skin) to wrinkle
  • Bulgarian: нагъвам (nagǎvam) — to fold into parallel folds
  • Bulgarian: надиплям (nadipljam) — to fold into parallel folds
  • Dutch: plooien — to fold into parallel folds
  • Finnish: poimuttaa — to fold into parallel folds
  • Finnish: aallottaa — to fold into parallel folds
  • German: wellen — to fold into parallel folds
  • German: riffeln — to fold into parallel folds
  • Hungarian: hullámosodik — to fold into parallel folds
  • Hungarian: hullámos lesz — to fold into parallel folds
  • Russian: гофрировать (gofrirovatʹ) — to fold into parallel folds
  • Russian: скла́дывать (skládyvatʹ) — to fold into parallel folds
  • Spanish: corrugar — to fold into parallel folds
  • Swedish: korrugera — to fold into parallel folds
  • Swedish: vecka — to fold into parallel folds