recruit
UK[rɪˈkruːt]US[rɪˈkruːt]
v
to find new people to join a company, organization, or the armed forces
v
to persuade someone to do a job or help with something
n
a new member of an organization, especially the army
Morpheme Breakdown
re
cruit
re
again
cruit
grow
Etymology
the word "recruit" entered english in the mid-17th century from the french "recruter", itself derived from "recrute", meaning "a new growth". this french term finds its roots in the latin verb "recrescere", meaning "to grow again", formed from "re-" (again) and "crescere" (to grow). the original military sense of "to raise new troops" directly mirrors this idea of causing an army to grow again or be replenished. over time, the meaning broadened to encompass the act of finding new members for any organization or cause, retaining the core concept of fostering new growth.
Analysis
Structure: re (again) + cruit (grow)
re- is a Latin prefix meaning "again" or "back". cruit is from the French verb "croître", meaning "to grow", ultimately from Latin "crescere".
Examples
the company is actively trying to recruit experienced software engineers.
he was recruited straight from university to join the management training program.
new recruits undergo six weeks of basic training.