reattach

verb

re·​at·​tach (ˌ)rē-ə-ˈtach 

reattached; reattaching; reattaches

1

transitive : to attach (something) again

reattach the hoses

reattaching the retina to underlying tissue

2

intransitive : to become attached anew

The dentist will probably bond that tooth to the adjacent teeth for a number of weeks until it reattaches.

—The Explorer (Tucson, Arizona)

reattachment

(ˌ)rē-ə-ˈtach-mənt 

noun

plural reattachments

reattachment of a severed finger

reattachment surgery

Modern treatment for detached retina may include reattachment of the retina with a laser (like spot-welding) or freezing small areas (cryotherapy).

—Richard P. Holm

Examples of reattach in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

After draining the barrel, detach your barrel from your downspout, reattach the downspout to your gutter, and then rinse the barrel with your hose. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Dec. 2024

Doctors were able to reattach part of her skull sooner than planned because of how much the swelling in her brain had subsided, her husband said. —Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 18 Nov. 2024

Boeing still owns the design data for the original plane, meaning SNC will have to play nice, and likely pay its bigger rival to consult on issues such as metal fatigue or the safest way to reattach a part. —Monica Hunter-Hart, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024

Embarrassed, Lyle runs off to the guesthouse to reattach it, followed by his brother, Erik. —Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 21 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1751, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

reattach

intransitive verb

re·​at·​tach ˌrē-ə-ˈtach 

: to become attached anew

transitive verb

: to attach again

reattach a severed finger

reattachment

-mənt 

noun