undulate

Everyday

1. To undulate is to move up and down or side to side in smooth waves. tree →
2. Land or a surface that undulates has a gentle wavy shape, with soft rises and dips. tree →

In the lessons

In geography: undulating hills and countryside. In science: snakes, eels and jellyfish undulate to move. In descriptive writing it gives a calm, flowing picture. The adjective «undulating» is the most common form.

Examples

• The snake undulated across the sand. tree →
• The road undulated over gentle hills. tree →
• Seaweed undulates in the waves. tree →
• We walked through undulating farmland. tree →
• The flag undulated in the breeze. tree →
• A ribbon undulated behind the gymnast. tree →
• Upon my word, as the head came waving and undulating through the air, and reaching almost within arm's length of Prince Jason, it was a very hideous and uncomfortable sight. tree →

Note

Regular verb. From Latin «unda», a wave. Formal or descriptive; in everyday speech say «roll», «ripple» or «wave».