regenerate

Everyday

1. (science) To regenerate is to grow again after being damaged or lost, as a lizard's tail or a starfish's arm can. tree →
2. To bring new life, jobs and activity to a run-down town or area. tree →
3. To make something new or fresh again, such as a forest after a fire. tree →
4. (computing) To make something again, such as a page or a password. tree →
5. (church) In Christian teaching, to be spiritually reborn; Christians believe God makes a person new. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons it describes living things that regrow body parts (starfish, lizards, flatworms) and forests that grow back. In geography and news it means improving poor neighbourhoods. It tells the reader that something lost or tired is coming back to life. Phrases: «regenerate a limb», «regenerate the town centre», «regenerate tissue».

Examples

• A starfish can regenerate a lost arm. tree →
• Some lizards drop their tail and later regenerate it. tree →
• Our skin regenerates after a small cut. tree →
• The council plans to regenerate the old docks with shops and parks. tree →
• After the bushfire, the forest slowly regenerated. tree →
• Press the button to regenerate the password. tree →
• Humans cannot regenerate a whole arm, but the liver can regrow part of itself. tree →

Note

Noun: «regeneration». Trap: people cannot regrow fingers or legs; only some animals can regrow whole limbs. Not the same as «generate» (make for the first time); «re-» means again.