plant

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Contents

English [edit]

Pronunciation [edit]

Etymology 1 [edit]

From Latin planta, later influenced by French plante.

Noun [edit]

plant (plural plants or plantæ)

  1. An organism that is not an animal, especially an organism capable of photosynthesis. Typically a small or herbaceous organism of this kind, rather than a tree.
    The garden had a couple of trees, and a cluster of colourful plants around the border.
  2. (botany) An organism of the kingdom Plantae; now specifically, a living organism of the Embryophyta (land plants) or of the Chlorophyta (green algae), a eukaryote that includes double-membraned chloroplasts in its cells containing chlorophyll a and b, or any organism closely related to such an organism.
  3. (ecology) Now specifically, a multicellular eukaryote that includes chloroplasts in its cells, which have a cell wall.
  4. (proscribed as biologically inaccurate) Any creature that grows on soil or similar surfaces, including plants and fungi.
  5. A factory or other industrial or institutional building or facility.
  6. An object placed surreptitiously in order to cause suspicion to fall upon a person.
    That gun's not mine! It's a plant! I've never seen it before!
  7. Anyone assigned to behave as a member of the public during a covert operation (as in a police investigation).
  8. A person, placed amongst an audience, whose role is to cause confusion, laughter etc.
  9. (snooker) A play in which the cue ball knocks one (usually red) ball onto another, in order to pot the second; a set.
    • 2008, Phil Yates, The Times, April 28 2008:
      O’Sullivan risked a plant that went badly astray, splitting the reds.
  10. A large piece of machinery, such as used in earthmoving or construction.
Usage notes [edit]

The scientific definition of what organisms should be considered plants changed dramatically during the 20th century. Bacteria, algae, and fungi are no longer considered plants by those who study them. Many textbooks do not reflect the most current thinking on classification.

Derived terms [edit]
terms derived from plant (noun)
Translations [edit]
organism capable of photosynthesis
a small or herbaceous organism, rather than a tree
organism of the kingdom Plantae
ecology: multicellular eukaryote that includes chloroplasts in its cells
factory or industrial facility
object placed to incriminate
person behaving as a member of the public during a covert operation
person hidden in audience
snooker shot
large piece of machinery
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked

See also [edit]

Etymology 2 [edit]

From Middle English planten, from Old English plantian (“to plant”), from Latin plantare, later influenced by Old French planter. Compare also Dutch planten (“to plant”), German pflanzen (“to plant”), Swedish planta (“to plant”), Icelandic planta (“to plant”).

Verb [edit]

plant (third-person singular simple present plants, present participle planting, simple past and past participle planted)

  1. (transitive) To place (a seed or plant) in soil or other substrate in order that it may live and grow.
  2. (transitive) To place (an object, or sometimes a person), often with the implication of intending deceit.
    That gun's not mine! It was planted there by the real murderer!
  3. (transitive) To place or set something firmly or with conviction.
    Plant your feet firmly and give the rope a good tug.
    • 2011 January 15, Sam Sheringham, “Chelsea 2 - 0 Blackburn Rovers”, BBC:
      First Anelka curled a shot wide from just outside the box, then Lampard planted a header over the bar from Bosingwa's cross.
  4. To place in the ground.
    • 2007, Richard Laymon, Savage, page 118:
      Sarah, she kissed each of her grandparents on the forehead. They were planted in a graveyard behind the church.
Derived terms [edit]
Related terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
place in soil or other substrate in order that it may live and grow
to place (an object, or sometimes a person), often with the implication of intending deceit
to place or set something firmly or with conviction

Danish [edit]

Verb [edit]

plant

  1. imperative of plante

Dutch [edit]

Pronunciation [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Middle Dutch plante, from Latin planta.[1]

Noun [edit]

plant f (plural planten, diminutive plantje)

  1. plant (organism)
  2. cabbage, vegetable (person with severe brain damage)

Derived terms [edit]

Verb [edit]

plant

  1. first-, second- and third-person singular present indicative of planten
  2. imperative of planten
  3. second- and third-person singular present indicative of plannen
  4. plural imperative of plannen

References [edit]

  1. ^ M. Philippa - Etymologisch Woordenboek van het Nederlands, Amsterdam University Press 2009

German [edit]

Verb [edit]

plant

  1. Third-person singular present of planen.
  2. Second-person plural present of planen.
  3. Imperative plural of planen.

Haitian Creole [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From French plante (“plant”).

Noun [edit]

plant

  1. plant (organism)

Old Welsh [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Latin planta.

Noun [edit]

plant

  1. children

Descendants [edit]

Swedish [edit]

Adjective [edit]

plant

  1. absolute indefinite neuter form of plan.

Welsh [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Old Welsh plant, from Latin planta.

Pronunciation [edit]

Noun [edit]

plant m (singulative plentyn)

  1. children

Mutation [edit]

Welsh mutation
radical soft nasal aspirate
plant blant mhlant phlant
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