Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - conjugation

 noun  Date: 15th century  1.  a. a schematic arrangement of the inflectional forms of a verb  b. verb inflection  c. a class of verbs having the same type of inflectional forms the weak ~  d. a set of the simple or derivative inflectional forms of a verb especially in Sanskrit or the Semitic languages the causative ~  2. the act of conjugating ; the state of being conjugated  3.  a. fusion of usually similar gametes with ultimate union of their nuclei and sexual reproduction that occurs in most fungi and in some algae (as green algae)  b. temporary cytoplasmic union with exchange of nuclear material that is the usual sexual process in ciliated protozoans  c. the one-way transfer of DNA between bacteria in cellular contact  • ~al adjective  • ~ally adverb