plant

verb

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\ ˈplant

planted; planting; plants

Definition of plant

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

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

b : to set or sow with seeds or plants

c : implant

2a : establish, institute

b : colonize, settle

c : to place (animals) in a new locality

d : to stock with animals

3a : to place in or on the ground

b : to place firmly or forcibly planted a hard blow on his chin

4a : conceal

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

intransitive verb

: to plant something

plant

noun

Definition of plant (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : 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

2a : 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

Other Words from plant Synonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing plant Learn More About plant

Other Words from plant

Verb

plantable \ ˈplan-tə-bəl

\ adjective

Noun

plantlike \ ˈplant-ˌlīk

\ adjective

Synonyms for plant

Synonyms: Verb

Synonyms: Noun

Examples of plant in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb On a similar note, the Belize Audubon Society is offering trees to visitors all week at their Belize City office, urging them to snap a photo with their sapling and then plant it in a safe place. — Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 21 Apr. 2022 Like California itself, so long isolated from the East and Midwest, California fast food was the first fast food, sui generis, and woe betide most interloper chains trying to cross the Rockies and the desert to plant themselves here. — Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2022 Decommission old fountains and plant them with succulents instead. — Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2022 Purchase your favorite, high-demand tomato transplants now, but wait until April to plant them in the garden. — Calvin Finch, San Antonio Express-News, 18 Mar. 2022 Little Al’s success inspired the FBI to plant another microphone in Sam Giancana’s headquarters, the Armory Lounge in suburban Forest Park. — Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2022 This year’s budget added funding for 1,800 more trees to plant in nine cool corridors, with nine more corridors planned each year. — Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 17 Apr. 2022 There will be potted herbs and perennials to plant in your own garden and many varieties of tomato seedlings, including heirlooms. — Shirley Macfarland, cleveland, 15 Apr. 2022 Some found work performing with Second Presbyterian, which helped plant the seed for the two groups coming together again Tuesday. — Rory Appleton, The Indianapolis Star, 26 Mar. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The governor of Ukraine’s Donetsk region said more than 100 civilians remained in the plant. — Matthew Luxmoore, WSJ, 10 May 2022 Yulia Fedosiuk, 29, said there could be as many as 3,000 soldiers still alive in the plant, including 600 who are injured. — New York Times, 10 May 2022 All the remaining women, children and older civilians who were sheltering with the fighters in the Azovstal plant were evacuated Saturday. — Elena Becatoros And Jon Gambrell, Anchorage Daily News, 8 May 2022 All the remaining women, children and older civilians who were sheltering with the fighters in the Azovstal plant were evacuated Saturday. — Elena Becatoros And Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2022 After two months of bombardment, Russian forces roamed the streets in near-total control, with a small group of Ukrainian fighters holding out in one massive steel plant. — Washington Post, 7 May 2022 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attack was preventing the evacuation of civilians remaining in the plant’s underground bunkers. — Celina Tebor, USA TODAY, 6 May 2022 Turmeric’s gorgeous golden-orange color and soothing effects are due to curcuminoids found in the plant, which include curcumin, one of many curcuminoids present in it. — The Salt Lake Tribune, 3 May 2022 Nearly every building in the plant has been destroyed, new satellite images show. — Alexandra Meeks, CNN, 2 May 2022 See More

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.

History and Etymology for plant

Verb

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

Noun

Middle English plante, from Old English, from Latin planta

Learn More About plant

Dictionary Entries Near plant

plansifter

plant

planta

Statistics for plant

Last Updated

12 May 2022

Cite this Entry

“Plant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plant. Accessed 17 May. 2022.

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More Definitions for plant

plant

verb

\ ˈplant

planted; planting

Kids Definition of plant

(Entry 1 of 2)

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, From The Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

plant

noun

Kids Definition of plant (Entry 2 of 2)

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