reabsorb
UK[ˌriːəbˈzɔːb]US[ˌriəbˈzɔːrb]
v
To absorb something again.
v
(Biology/Physiology) To take back (a substance) into the tissue or bloodstream from which it was originally filtered or secreted.
Morpheme Breakdown
re
absorb
re
again
absorb
take in
Etymology
The word 'reabsorb' is a modern English formation built upon the existing verb 'absorb,' which entered the language in the late 15th century from Latin via French. The Latin root sorbere, meaning "to suck," can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root srebh-, which carried the sense of drinking or slurping. The prefix 're-,' of Latin origin, is one of the most productive in English, routinely added to verbs to denote a repeated action. Therefore, the literal construction "to suck in again" logically evolved into the specific modern meanings of taking back in a substance that had previously been absorbed, secreted, or filtered out, a concept frequently used in biological and chemical contexts.
Analysis
Structure: re (again) + absorb (take in)
- re: A Latin prefix meaning "again" or "back." It functions as an intensifier or indicator of repetition in English.
- absorb: From Latin absorbere ("to swallow up"), composed of ab- ("from") + sorbere ("to suck in"). In English, it functions as a verb meaning to take in or soak up.
Examples
The kidneys reabsorb water and essential nutrients from the filtrate.
The company aims to reabsorb some of its former employees into the new division.
The sponge will reabsorb the liquid after it is squeezed out.