propagate
This term describes the act of multiplication or expansion, whether biological, ideological, or physical. In botany, it refers to the technical process of creating new plants from vegetative parts, carrying a connotation of intentional cultivation and growth. When applied to information or beliefs, the word often carries a slightly negative or clinical undertone, suggesting a systematic or forced dissemination of ideas, similar to how a virus spreads. In physics, it describes the neutral, mechanical movement of energy through a medium, focusing on the transmission of a signal.
Meanings
To breed a specified plant by taking cuttings from a parent plant to create new individuals.
"The gardener showed me how to propagate succulents using leaf cuttings."
To spread an idea, belief, or piece of information widely among a population.
"The regime used state-controlled media to propagate its ideology across the country."