graft

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈgraft 

1

a

: a grafted (see graft entry 2 sense transitive 1) plant

b

: scion sense 2

c

: the point of insertion of a scion upon a stock

2

a

: the act of grafting

b

: something grafted

specifically : living tissue used in grafting

Illustration of graft

• a scion
• b stock

graft

2 of 5

verb (1)

grafted; grafting; grafts

transitive verb

1

a

: to cause (a scion) to unite with a stock

also : to unite (plants or scion and stock) to form a graft

b

: to propagate (see propagate sense transitive 1) (a plant) by grafting

2

: to implant (living tissue) surgically

3

a

: to join or unite as if by grafting

b

: to attach (a chemical unit) to a main molecular chain

intransitive verb

1

: to become grafted

2

: to perform grafting

grafter noun

graft

3 of 5

noun (2)

: the acquisition of gain (such as money) in dishonest or questionable ways

also : illegal or unfair gain

graft

4 of 5

verb (2)

grafted; grafting; grafts

transitive verb

: to get (illicit gain) by graft

intransitive verb

: to practice graft

graft

5 of 5

noun (3)

chiefly British

: work, labor

Examples of graft in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The new mayor is best served by a fearless watchdog making sure that the public’s interests are protected from thievery and graft, which is sure to happen. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 11 Jan. 2026

For this reason, examples of its graft and hypocrisy are particularly galvanizing. —Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026

Verb

At Nuccio’s Nursery, there is a Gardenia x daruma grafted onto a Gardenia thunbergia that is growing in full sun as a small tree. —Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 9 Jan. 2026

By grafting old-school procedural pleasures onto a 24-esque real-time format, the show produced a genuinely novel structure in the post-prestige era that was impossible to look away from. —Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1) and Verb (1)

Middle English graffe, grafte, from Anglo-French greffe, graife stylus, graph, from Medieval Latin graphium, from Latin, stylus, from Greek grapheion, from graphein to write — more at carve

Verb (2) and Noun (2)

origin unknown

Noun (3)

English dialect graft, verb, to work

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

1865, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1859, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun (3)

1853, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing graft

• coronary artery bypass graft
• coronary bypass graft
• graft-versus-host disease
• skin graft

Rhymes for graft

• aft
• chaffed
• craft
• daft
• draft
• draught
• graphed
• haft
• kraft
• laughed
• raft
• shaft

Kids Definition

graft

1 of 2 verb

ˈgraft 

1

a

: to insert a twig or bud from one plant into another plant so that they are joined and grow together

b

: to join one thing to another as if by grafting

graft skin over the burn

2

: to gain money or advantage by graft

grafter noun

graft

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: a grafted plant

b

: the point in a plant where a part that is being grafted is inserted

2

: the act of grafting

3

: something used in grafting: as

a

: scion sense 1

b

: living tissue used in surgical grafting

4

a

: the getting of money or advantage by dishonest means through misuse of an official position

exposed graft in the city government

b

: the money or advantage gained

accused of taking graft

Medical Definition

graft

1 of 2 transitive verb

ˈgraft 

: to implant (living tissue) surgically

grafted a new piece of artery into the ruptured portion of the old artery

intransitive verb

: to perform grafting

graft

2 of 2 noun

1

: the act of grafting

2

: something grafted

specifically : living tissue used in grafting