replants

replants — verb

  • replantspresent simple I / you / we / they
  • replantses3rd person singular
  • replantsing-ing form
  • replantsedpast simple

1. to put a plant or tree back into the ground after it was removed, or to dig it u

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to put a plant or tree back into the ground after it was removed, or to dig it up and place it in a new spot.

Example

After the storm, Mei-Lin replanted the young maple in a sheltered corner of the yard.

replant + noun after natural disaster

The farmer replanted the field with soybeans after the flood ruined the wheat.

Common collocations
  • replant a tree
  • replant a garden
  • replant a crop
  • replant with [new crop]
  • replant in [new location]
Synonyms
  • transplant

    emphasises moving a plant from one location to another; replant can mean putting the same plant back in the same spot.

  • resow

    specifically about scattering seeds rather than placing whole plants.

Antonyms
  • uproot

    to pull a plant out of the ground, the opposite action.

  • remove

    general term for taking plants away.

Grammar Patterns

replant + noun (plant/crop/tree)

Usage Note

Object is typically a plant, tree, crop, or the land containing them. Frequently used with 'into' (new location) or 'with' (new crop type).

Common Mistakes

He replanted the garden again after cleaning it.
He replanted the garden after clearing the weeds.
'Again' is redundant because the prefix re- already carries that meaning.

2. to cover an area of land with new plants, often after the previous plants have d

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to cover an area of land with new plants, often after the previous plants have died, been cut down, or been removed.

Example

The city council plans to replant the park with native shrubs and wildflowers next spring.

replant + area + with + new plants

After the wildfire, volunteers worked together to replant the hillside with young pines.

Common collocations
  • replant a hillside
  • replant a forest
  • replant an area with [plants]
  • replant after a fire
  • replant bare soil
Synonyms
  • revegetate

    more formal/technical, used in environmental science.

  • reforest

    specific to planting trees in a forest area.

  • restock

    more general; can apply to animals or supplies, not just plants.

Antonyms
  • clear-cut

    to cut down all trees in an area, the opposite action.

  • deforest

    to remove trees from a large area.

Grammar Patterns

replant + area + with + plants

Usage Note

The object is usually an area (field, hillside, forest, garden) rather than individual plants. The preposition 'with' introduces the new vegetation.

3. to surgically reattach a body part, such as a finger, toe, tooth, or limb, after

3.verbtransitiveC2
Definition

to surgically reattach a body part, such as a finger, toe, tooth, or limb, after it has been completely severed from the body.

Example

The surgical team managed to replant the patient's thumb after a workshop accident.

medical: replant + severed body part

Dr. Okafor specialised in replanting avulsed teeth within thirty minutes of the injury.

Common collocations
  • replant a finger
  • replant a tooth
  • replant a limb
  • replant a thumb
  • replant surgery
  • replantation of [body part]
Synonyms
  • reattach

    broader term; replant is the specific surgical procedure.

  • reimplant

    used interchangeably with replant in medical contexts.

Antonyms
  • amputate

    to surgically remove a body part, the opposite procedure.

Grammar Patterns

replant + body part

Usage Note

Almost exclusively used in medical contexts. Commonly appears as the noun form 'replantation' (e.g. 'digit replantation'). The success rate depends heavily on how quickly the severed part is reattached.

Common Mistakes

The dentist replanted the tooth that was loose.
The dentist replanted the tooth that had been knocked out completely.
Replantation refers to reattaching a fully detached body part, not tightening a loose one.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words involve putting plants into soil, but they differ in what is moved and why. 'Replant' is the most general: it can mean putting the same plant back (after a storm) or putting a new plant where an old one died. 'Transplant' always involves moving a plant from one location to another — the emphasis is on the change of place rather than the act of planting itself. 'Resow' is narrower: it means scattering seeds again, not placing whole plants. 'Report' (sometimes spelled 'repot') is the most specific: it means moving a plant into a different container, usually a larger one, so the roots have more room. For example: 'After the frost, Mei-Lin replanted the garden with hardier varieties,' but 'She transplanted the rose bush from the pot to the ground,' and 'She reported the cactus into a terracotta pot.'

replanttransplant ↗resowreport ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • replant after a disaster
  • replant with new stock
  • replant a severed digit

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed in English from the prefix 're-' (meaning 'again' or 'back') combined with the verb 'plant', which came into English from Old French 'planter' and ultimately from Latin 'plantare' (to fix in place, to plant). The medical sense of surgically reattaching a body part emerged in the mid-20th century as microsurgery advanced.

First known use

1572

1572, in the meaning defined at sense 1