graft
Graft (noun) means a piece of living tissue, skin, or plant shoot transplanted onto or into another body or plant to grow there. Example: “The surgeon used a skin graft to help the burn heal.”
How to use graft
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDepending on context: transplanted tissue or plant matter, corrupt gain from a position of power, or (in British slang) plain hard work.
"Graft" meaning hard work is common British and Australian slang, much less used in the US, where "graft" usually means corruption or a medical/plant transplant.
Word forms
grafted past tense, grafted past tense, grafts plural, grafts plural, grafts plural, Grafts plural, grafts singular, grafts singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The surgeon used a skin _____ to help the burn heal.
Etymology
From Old French greffe ("stylus"), from Latin graphium, from Ancient Greek grapheion — the shoot was named for its resemblance to a pointed pen.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for graft
See all rhymes for graft →Frequently asked questions
What does “graft” mean?
The word “graft” means a piece of living tissue, skin, or plant shoot transplanted onto or into another body or plant to grow there. In plain terms, depending on context: transplanted tissue or plant matter, corrupt gain from a position of power, or (in British slang) plain hard work.
How do you pronounce “graft”?
“Graft” is pronounced grahft (/ɡɹæft/ in IPA).
How do you use “graft” in a sentence?
Here is “graft” used in a sentence: “The surgeon used a skin graft to help the burn heal.”
What is another word for “graft”?
Words with a similar meaning to “graft” include attach, put together, unite and imp.
What part of speech is “graft”?
Depending on how it is used, “graft” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “graft” come from?
The word “graft” comes from Ancient Greek. From Old French greffe ("stylus"), from Latin graphium, from Ancient Greek grapheion — the shoot was named for its resemblance to a pointed pen.
Is “graft” a common word?
“Graft” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
How many meanings does “graft” have?
“Graft” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a piece of living tissue, skin, or plant shoot transplanted onto or into another body or plant to grow there.