plant

verb \ ˈplant \

Updated on: 13 May 2018

Definition of plant

transitive verb

1 a : to put or set in the ground for growth

plant seeds

b : to set or sow with seeds or plants

c : implant

2 a : establish, institute

b : colonize, settle

c : to place (animals) in a new locality

d : to stock with animals

3 a : to place in or on the ground

b : to place firmly or forcibly

planted a hard blow on his chin

4 a : conceal

b : to covertly place for discovery, publication, or dissemination

intransitive verb

: to plant something

—

plantable

play \ˈplan-tə-bəl\ adjective

See plant defined for English-language learners

See plant defined for kids

Examples of plant in a Sentence

I planted corn this year.
I planted the border with roses.
a field planted with corn
She planted stakes in the garden to hold the vines.
I firmly planted my feet and refused to move.
He planted himself in front of the TV and stayed there.
Terrorists planted a bomb in the bus station.
She claims that the police planted the drugs in her car.
He was a spy planted in the office by a rival company.
Someone planted a rumor saying that he had died.

Recent Examples of plant from the Web

Looking at the 2017-18 and 2018-19 budget totals, among the capital-improvement categories seeing modest reductions include habitat restoration, tree-planting projects and district-wide reforestation.

— dan moran, Lake County News-Sun, "Moran: Budget shows growth phase coming to an end at the Lake County Forest Preserves," 8 May 2018
Then South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his North Korean counterpart, Kim Jong Un, last month planted a tree and talked alone before committing their countries to denuclearization and further talks to bring a formal end to their conflict.

— ray sanchez, CNN, "North and South Korean time zones get in sync," 4 May 2018
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in will plant a commemorative tree and inspect an honor guard together after Kim walks across the border Friday for their historic summit, Seoul officials said Thursday.

— Washington Post, "North Korea calls US claims it hacked UN database ‘nonsense’," 3 May 2018
The tree is the first to be planted in Park Ridge this season and is one of 60 new oaks that will be added across the city this year, Naser said.

— jennifer johnson, chicagotribune.com, "Maine East High School marks Arbor Day with tree climbing, planting of new oak," 28 Apr. 2018
Moon sign planting dates Above-ground crops: 18, 19, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28.

— tom maccubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, "May in the garden," 28 Apr. 2018
And the grounds in front of the mural will be planted with a combination of natural plants and grasses.

— steve lord, Aurora Beacon-News, "Splash of color on Fox River a big hit in downtown Aurora," 21 Apr. 2018
The National Weather Service is calling for sunshine and temperatures in the upper 50s throughout the weekend, allowing Naperville Little League ballplayers to get in some games and gardeners to start getting ready for planting season.

— suzanne baker, Naperville Sun, "Naperville gardeners and ballplayers looking for Mother Nature to turn up the heat," 19 Apr. 2018
Once the flowers have faded, plant your lily in the garden, and enjoy more blooms in years to come.

— dan gill, NOLA.com, "Don't toss out those faded Easter lilies. Here's how to plant them," 7 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'plant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of plant

Middle English, from Old English plantian, from Late Latin plantare to plant, fix in place, from Latin, to plant, from planta plant

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

plant Synonyms

plant

noun

Definition of plant

1 a : a young tree, vine, shrub, or herb planted or suitable for planting

b : any of a kingdom (Plantae) of multicellular eukaryotic mostly photosynthetic organisms typically lacking locomotive movement or obvious nervous or sensory organs and possessing cellulose cell walls

2 a : the land, buildings, machinery, apparatus, and fixtures employed in carrying on a trade or an industrial business

b : a factory or workshop for the manufacture of a particular product; also : power plant

c : the total facilities available for production or service

d : the buildings and other physical equipment of an institution

3 : an act of planting

4 : something or someone planted

—

plantlike

play \ˈplant-ˌlīk\ adjective

See plant defined for English-language learners

Examples of plant in a Sentence

The gangsters never suspected that he was a police plant.
a furniture plant that employs hundreds of people

Recent Examples of plant from the Web

Born in Roanoke, Va., in 1920, Henrietta Pleasant Lacks came to Baltimore in 1941 with her husband, who planned to work in the Bethlehem Steel plant in Sparrows Point.

— christina tkacik, baltimoresun.com, "Henrietta Lacks portrait acquired by Smithsonian museums," 10 May 2018
New machinery for automation likely will be delivered to the plant in August and installed in September, fueling a strong end to the year for the bakery, Metropoulos said.

— greg trotter, chicagotribune.com, "Hostess execs: More automation coming this summer at Cloverhill bakery in Chicago," 10 May 2018
But the fire affected production at the Fiat Chrysler plant in Windsor, Ontario, that produces the Chrysler Pacifica minivan.

— phoebe wall howard, USA TODAY, "Ford F-150 production shutting due to supplier plant fire," 8 May 2018
As lava crawled down Leilani Road in a hissing, popping mass, Ms. Griffith stood in its path and placed a plant in the crack in the ground as an offering to the Native Hawaiian volcano goddess, Pele.

— caleb jones, The Christian Science Monitor, "For some, living in Hawaii's paradise means making peace with a volcano," 8 May 2018
Interstate 10 was closed west of Lafayette on Thursday afternoon (May 3) as crews battled a fire at a chemical plant in the Rayne area, according to Louisiana State Police.

— laura mcknight, NOLA.com, "I-10 closed west of Lafayette as crews battle fire at chemical plant," 3 May 2018
Where there’s been so much incredible reporting at the Times and elsewhere about Silicon Valley and Hollywood and auto workers at a Ford plant in Chicago.

— recode staff, Recode, "Full transcript: New York Times reporter Emily Steel on Recode Media," 28 Apr. 2018
Volunteers helped remove debris and planted more than 1,000 plants in a meadow along the bayou that was destroyed during Hurricane Harvey.

— staff report, Houston Chronicle, "Silver Eagle Distributors and Anheuser-Busch help restore Buffalo Bayou Park Meadow damaged by Hurricane Harvey," 27 Apr. 2018
One development that caught the modelers’ attention was a recent test by NREL of a 300-megawatt solar plant in California.

— john fialka, Scientific American, "As Hawaii Aims for 100% Renewable Energy, Other States Watching Closely," 27 Apr. 2018

Origin and Etymology of plant

Middle English plante, from Old English, from Latin planta

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

plant Synonyms

Synonyms

factory, manufactory, mill, shop, works, workshop;

Related Words

sweatshop;

atelier, studio, workplace, workroom;

yard;

Other Botany Terms

annual, burgeon, chloroplast, nomenclature, succulent, sylvan, xylem

PLANT Defined for English Language Learners

plant

verb

Definition of plant for English Language Learners

: to put (a seed, flower, or plant) in the ground to grow
: to fill (an area) with seeds, flowers, or plants
: to put or place (something) in the ground

plant

noun

Definition of plant for English Language Learners

: a living thing that grows in the ground, usually has leaves or flowers, and needs sun and water to survive
: a building or factory where something is made
: the land, buildings, and equipment of an organization

PLANT Defined for Kids

plant

verb \ ˈplant \

Definition of plant for Students

planted; planting

1 : to place in the ground to grow

We'll plant seeds in the spring.

2 : to fill with seeds or plants

plant a garden

3 : to set firmly in the ground

They planted posts for a fence.

4 : to place firmly

He planted himself on the couch.

5 : to introduce as a thought or idea

6 : to place (someone or something) secretly

… the teacher thought that he was planted in the audience to pep up the discussion …
—E. L. Konigsburg, Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

plant

noun

Definition of plant for Students

1 : any member of the kingdom of many-celled mostly photosynthetic living things (as mosses, ferns, grasses, and trees) that lack a nervous system or sense organs and the ability to move about and that have cellulose cell walls

2 : the buildings and equipment of an industrial business or an institution

a power plant

—

plantlike

\ˈplant-ˌlīk\ adjective

Learn More about plant

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plant

Definition of plant

plantable

Examples of plant in a Sentence

Recent Examples of plant from the Web

Origin and Etymology of plant

plant Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

plant

Definition of plant

plantlike

Examples of plant in a Sentence

Recent Examples of plant from the Web

Origin and Etymology of plant

plant Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Other Botany Terms

Phrases Related to PLANT

Related Phrases

PLANT Defined for English Language Learners

plant

Definition of plant for English Language Learners

plant

Definition of plant for English Language Learners

PLANT Defined for Kids

plant

Definition of plant for Students

plant

Definition of plant for Students

plantlike

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