regeneration

noun

re·​gen·​er·​a·​tion ri-ˌje-nə-ˈrā-shən 

ˌrē-

1

: an act or the process of regenerating : the state of being regenerated

2

: spiritual renewal or revival

3

: renewal or restoration of a body, bodily part, or biological system (such as a forest) after injury or as a normal process

4

: utilization by special devices of heat or other products that would ordinarily be lost

Synonyms

• reanimation
• rebirth
• rejuvenation
• rejuvenescence
• renewal
• resurgence
• resurrection
• resuscitation
• revitalization
• revival
• revivification

Examples of regeneration in a Sentence

the regeneration of knitting and crocheting is in full bloom, with Hollywood stars admitting they knit and crochet on movie sets

Recent Examples on the Web

Among those who have publicly grappled with it is Dr. Susan Mackinnon, a surgery professor at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis known as a pioneer in nerve regeneration. —Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2024

To the team’s knowledge, the specimen is just the second case of a fossil with a regenerating body half, and the first in which its regeneration appears connected to the animal’s six-fold symmetry and clonal fragmentation. —Isaac Schultz / Gizmodo, Quartz, 18 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

regeneration

noun

re·​gen·​er·​a·​tion ri-ˌjen-ə-ˈrā-shən 

ˌrē-

: an act or the process of regenerating : the state of being regenerated

Medical Definition

regeneration

noun

re·​gen·​er·​a·​tion ri-ˌjen-ə-ˈrā-shən, ˌrē- 

1

: an act or the process of regenerating : the state of being regenerated

2

: the renewal, regrowth, or restoration of a body or a bodily part, tissue, or substance after injury or as a normal bodily process

continual regeneration of epithelial cells

regeneration of the uterine lining

compare regulation sense 2a