regrow
UK[ˌriːˈɡrəʊ]US[ˌriːˈɡroʊ]
v
To grow again, or to make something grow again.
Morpheme Breakdown
re
grow
re
again
grow
to increase in size
Etymology
The verb 'regrow' is a modern English compound formed by combining the productive prefix 're-' with the native verb 'grow'. The prefix 're-', from Latin, was adopted into English via Old French and has been used for centuries to indicate repetition or restoration of an action. The core verb 'grow' has deep Germanic roots, tracing back to the Proto-Germanic 'grōaną' and ultimately to the Proto-Indo-European 'gʰreH₁-', meaning "to grow, become green". The logical construction of 'regrow' is transparent: it directly signifies the action of growing ('grow') happening once more ('re-'), perfectly capturing the concept of renewed biological development, such as the replacement of lost tissue or plants sprouting anew.
Analysis
Structure: re (again) + grow (to increase in size)
re: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "again" or "back".
grow: Old English origin, from 'grōwan', meaning "to increase in size, develop".
Examples
The lizard's tail will regrow over several weeks.
After the forest fire, the trees slowly began to regrow.
He shaved his beard, vowing to regrow it next winter.