trans·plant
ˌtran(t)s-ˈplant 
transplanted; transplanting; transplants
1
: to lift and reset (a plant) in another soil or situation
2
: to remove from one place or context and settle or introduce elsewhere : relocate
3
: to transfer (an organ or tissue) from one part or individual to another
: to tolerate being transplanted
does not transplant as well as other varieties
trans·plant
ˈtran(t)s-ˌplant
1
a
: a person or thing that is transplanted
b
: a manufacturing plant set up locally by a foreign automobile company to save on shipping costs
bumpers shipped to a Japanese transplant in the U.S.
2
: the act or process of transplanting
Examples of transplant in a Sentence
Verb
She carefully transplanted the seedlings.
The bush was transplanted to a different part of the garden.
Doctors transplanted one of his kidneys into his sister.
a recipient of a transplanted heart
The group transplanted the beavers to another part of the state.
She is a New Yorker who recently transplanted to the West Coast.
Noun
The heart transplant was successful.
He is going to need a liver transplant.
The doctors are trying to keep him alive until a liver can be found for transplant.
The patient's body rejected the transplant.
She received a bone marrow transplant from an unknown donor.
She's a Southern transplant who now lives in New York.
Recent Examples on the Web
John Bonifield, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
This extends the window in which organs can be transplanted, but only briefly.
—Ted Alcorn, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024
But there’s a big obstacle to transplanting pig organs into the human body.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2024
Once the plant begins to outgrow the shell, crack the bottom and transplant the shell directly into a garden pot.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2024
To address this shortage, scientists have been exploring transplanting organs from animals into humans.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Mar. 2024
Rejection is still a major concern ‒ both with the pig organs and with any organ transplanted from one being into another.
—Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2024
There’s an old-fashioned adventure quality to Percy Jackson’s road trip plot, as Percy and his friends face off against minotaurs, furies, and even legendary Greek myths like Medusa, all cleverly transplanted to a modern American setting.
—Devan Coggan, EW.com, 18 Dec. 2023
Stone’s Bella begins as an an undeveloped human whose brain has been transplanted into the body of a woman.
—Zoe G Phillips, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024
John Bonifield, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
The recipient of the world's first pig kidney transplant is heading home from Massachusetts General Hospital Wednesday, nearly two weeks after the surgery.
—Wbz-News Staff, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2024
The pick: Christian Jones Offensive tackle, Texas, 6-foot-6, 321 pounds
The Rams could use a developmental right tackle to one day replace Rob Havenstein, the final St. Louis transplant on the roster.
—Adam Grosbard, Orange County Register, 3 Apr. 2024
Since 2020, Northwestern has had a 30 percent uptick in its volume of liver transplants.
—Ted Alcorn, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024
Hair transplant clinics in Turkey provide substantial post-op support and detailed aftercare instructions, which are crucial for the success of a hair transplant.
—Chris Gallagher, Journal Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2024
Permanent, irreversible liver damage called cirrhosis can result and people who are badly affected may develop liver failure where the only suitable treatment is a transplant.
—Victoria Forster, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Bobby Simone’s health struggles, first with a heart transplant, then with a brain infection that robbed Bobby’s chances for recovery.
—Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 26 Mar. 2024
People who’ve already had a cardiac event, such as a heart attack, should be especially aware of their health metrics, Nikki Bart, MD, a heart failure and heart transplant cardiologist, told Health.
—Lauryn Higgins, Health, 27 Mar. 2024
Verb
The first two transplants were hearts transplanted into living patients that had run out of other transplant options.
—John Bonifield, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
This extends the window in which organs can be transplanted, but only briefly.
—Ted Alcorn, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024
But there’s a big obstacle to transplanting pig organs into the human body.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2024
Once the plant begins to outgrow the shell, crack the bottom and transplant the shell directly into a garden pot.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2024
To address this shortage, scientists have been exploring transplanting organs from animals into humans.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Mar. 2024
Rejection is still a major concern ‒ both with the pig organs and with any organ transplanted from one being into another.
—Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2024
There’s an old-fashioned adventure quality to Percy Jackson’s road trip plot, as Percy and his friends face off against minotaurs, furies, and even legendary Greek myths like Medusa, all cleverly transplanted to a modern American setting.
—Devan Coggan, EW.com, 18 Dec. 2023
Stone’s Bella begins as an an undeveloped human whose brain has been transplanted into the body of a woman.
—Zoe G Phillips, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024
Noun
The first two transplants were hearts transplanted into living patients that had run out of other transplant options.
—John Bonifield, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
The recipient of the world's first pig kidney transplant is heading home from Massachusetts General Hospital Wednesday, nearly two weeks after the surgery.
—Wbz-News Staff, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2024
The pick: Christian Jones Offensive tackle, Texas, 6-foot-6, 321 pounds
The Rams could use a developmental right tackle to one day replace Rob Havenstein, the final St. Louis transplant on the roster.
—Adam Grosbard, Orange County Register, 3 Apr. 2024
Since 2020, Northwestern has had a 30 percent uptick in its volume of liver transplants.
—Ted Alcorn, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024
Hair transplant clinics in Turkey provide substantial post-op support and detailed aftercare instructions, which are crucial for the success of a hair transplant.
—Chris Gallagher, Journal Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2024
Permanent, irreversible liver damage called cirrhosis can result and people who are badly affected may develop liver failure where the only suitable treatment is a transplant.
—Victoria Forster, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Bobby Simone’s health struggles, first with a heart transplant, then with a brain infection that robbed Bobby’s chances for recovery.
—Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 26 Mar. 2024
People who’ve already had a cardiac event, such as a heart attack, should be especially aware of their health metrics, Nikki Bart, MD, a heart failure and heart transplant cardiologist, told Health.
—Lauryn Higgins, Health, 27 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'transplant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English transplaunten, from Late Latin transplantare, from Latin trans- + plantare to plant
First Known Use
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun
1756, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of transplant was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near transplant
Cite this Entry
“Transplant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transplant. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
transplant
1 of 2 verb
trans·plant
tran(t)s-ˈplant
1
: to dig up and plant in another soil or situation
transplant seedlings
2
: to remove from one place and settle or introduce elsewhere
transplanted beavers to other parts of the state
a New Yorker transplanted to the West coast
3
: to transfer (an organ or tissue) from one part or individual to another
transplant
2 of 2 noun
trans·plant
ˈtran(t)s-ˌplant
1
: something or someone transplanted
2
: the act or process of transplanting
Medical Definition
transplant
1 of 2 transitive verb
trans·plant
tran(t)s-ˈplant
: to transfer from one place to another
especially
: to transfer (an organ or tissue) from one part or individual to another
transplant
2 of 2 noun
trans·plant
ˈtran(t)s-ˌplant
1
: something (as an organ or part) that is transplanted
2
: the act or process of transplanting : transplantation
performed a kidney transplant
More from Merriam-Webster on transplant
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for transplant
Nglish: Translation of transplant for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of transplant for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about transplant
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