rejected
UK[rɪˈdʒɛktɪd]US[rɪˈdʒɛktɪd]
v
Past tense and past participle of 'reject'. Refused to accept, consider, or agree to something.
v
Discarded as faulty or useless.
v
(Biology/Medicine) Failed to accept a transplanted organ or tissue.
Morpheme Breakdown
re
ject
ed
re
again/back
ject
throw
ed
past tense suffix
Etymology
The word 'rejected' is built upon the Latin verb reicere, which is a compound of re- ("back") and jacere ("to throw"). The literal sense is "to throw back," a physical metaphor that evolved into the abstract meaning of refusing or discarding something offered. Entering English via Old French rejecter, the verb 'reject' was formed, and the regular past tense suffix '-ed' was added, following standard Germanic grammatical patterns. Thus, 'rejected' encapsulates the conceptual journey from the physical act of casting something away to the modern meanings of refusal, denial, or failure to accept.
Analysis
Structure: re (again/back) + ject (throw) + ed (past tense suffix)
- re: Latin prefix meaning "back" or "again".
- ject: From Latin jacere, meaning "to throw".
- ed: Old English suffix forming the past tense and past participle of regular verbs.
Examples
The committee rejected his proposal due to insufficient funding.
She felt rejected after her application was turned down.
The patient's body rejected the donor organ, necessitating further treatment.