Replicate
late Middle English (in the sense ‘repeat’): from Latin replicat-, from the verb replicare, from re- ‘back, again’ + plicare ‘to fold’. The current senses date from the late 19th century.
wiktionary
From Latin replicātus, past participle of replicāre(“to fold or bend back; reply”), from re(“back”) + plicāre(“to fold”); see ply. Doublet of reply and replica.
etymonline
replicate (v.)
early 15c. (Chauliac), replicaten, "repeat," from Late Latin replicatus, past participle of replicare "to reply, repeat," in classical Latin "fold back, fold over, bend back," from re- "back, again" (see re-) + plicare "to fold" (from PIE root *plek- "to plait").
Meaning "to copy, reproduce, make a replica of" is from 1882, a back-formation from replication. The scientific sense of "repeat (an experiment) and get a consistent result" is by 1923. Genetic sense is recorded from 1957. Related: Replicated; replicating; replicative.
replicate (adj.)
1832, in botany, of a leaf, "folded back upon itself; folded so as to form a groove," from Latin replicatus, past participle of replicare "to fold back, fold over" (see replicate (v.)).
