Germinates is a process in which a seed or spore begins to grow and develop. It is the first stage of growth for a plant, and it involves the breaking of the seed coat and the emergence of the root and shoot. The term germinates is often used interchangeably with the term SPROUTS, which is the result of the germination process. SPROUTS are the small shoots that emerge from the seed after it has gone through the germination process.