domesticate meaning and definition

DOMESTICATE verb

Definition of domesticate (verb)

1. adapt (a wild plant or unclaimed land) to the environment
   • "domesticate oats"; "tame the soil"
   • synonyms: cultivate, naturalise, naturalize, tame
2. overcome the wildness of; make docile and tractable
   • "He tames lions for the circus"; "reclaim falcons"
   • synonyms: domesticise, domesticize, reclaim, tame
3. make fit for cultivation, domestic life, and service to humans
   • "The horse was domesticated a long time ago"; "The wolf was tamed and evolved into the house dog"
   • synonyms: tame