FROM THE ARCHIVEMonday, November 2, 2026
imbricate
IM-bri-kayt/ˈɪm.brɪˌkeɪt//verb
01 / MEANING
To overlap in a regular pattern, like roof tiles or scales.
In a sentence.
- 01
The scales imbricate along the fish's flank.
- 02
The roofer imbricated the tiles so rain would run off.
Where it came from.
Imbricate was borrowed from Latin imbricātus, ‘tiled,’ related to imbrex, a curved roof tile.
Explore the sourceWhy it’s interesting.
It names the protective pattern shared by roofs, fish scales, and some leaves.