regenerate

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /rɪˈdʒɛnəˌreɪt/ UK /rɪˈdʒɛnəreɪt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to regrow, restore, or renew, especially after damage

A starfish can regenerate a lost arm over several months.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to regrow, restore, or... renew restore reviveregrowrejuvenate reformrevitalize

Opposites

degenerate decay destroy

Word family

Forms regenerator

Derived forms regenerationregeneratedregenerativeregenerator

Related forms generate generation genesis gene

Etymology

From Latin regeneratus, past participle of regenerare ('to bring forth again'), from re- ('again') + generare ('to produce, beget'), from genus ('birth, kind').

re- Latin regenerare Latin genus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# regenerate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /rɪˈdʒɛnəˌreɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /rɪˈdʒɛnəreɪt/

## Meanings
1. to regrow, restore, or renew, especially after damage

## Examples
- A starfish can regenerate a lost arm over several months.

## Synonyms
- renew
- restore
- revive
- regrow
- rejuvenate
- reform
- revitalize

## Antonyms
- degenerate
- decay
- destroy

## Derived Forms
- regeneration
- regenerated
- regenerative
- regenerator

## Related Forms
- generate
- generation
- genesis
- gene

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: re-
- Root: regenerare
- Root: genus

## Etymology
From Latin regeneratus, past participle of regenerare ('to bring forth again'), from re- ('again') + generare ('to produce, beget'), from genus ('birth, kind').

## AI Etymology
Regenerate comes from Latin regeneratus, past participle of regenerare ('to bring forth again'), from re- ('again') + generare ('to produce, beget'), from genus ('birth, kind'). The historical chain includes Latin re-, Latin regenerare, and Latin genus. Older glosses in the chain include "to bring forth again", "again", "to produce, beget", and "birth, kind", which help explain the semantic range of the modern word. Morphologically, regenerate is best read as compound and borrowing, yielding an English verb and adjective shaped by both form history and later usage. In current English it functions as a verb and adjective, with the sense "to regrow, restore, or renew, especially after damage". English derivatives include regeneration, regenerated, regenerative, and regenerator; related forms include generate, generation, genesis, and gene. The result is an English verb and adjective whose etymology preserves the older forms while supporting the word's specialized modern meaning.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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