WordGarden.iorehydrate
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /rɪhˈaɪdreɪt/
US
- /riˈhaɪdreɪt/
Meanings
Verb
to restore lost fluid to the body
to add water or moisture back to something dried out
to restore serialized or server-rendered software state so it becomes active again
More meaningsFewer meanings
to restore water to dehydrated tissue, cells, or a substance in scientific use
Beyond the definition
Imagine running a marathon: you lose water through sweat, and afterward you feel tired and weak. To rehydrate is to give the body back the fluid it has lost. It is more than just drinking a little water; it means restoring enough fluid to something that has dried out or lost water, whether that is a person, a plant, or even dried food. You might rehydrate a hiker with water and electrolytes, rehydrate instant noodles with hot water, or rehydrate dry soil so plants can recover.
The "re-" prefix means "again," so to rehydrate is to hydrate again. It is especially important after hard exercise or illness, when fluids are lost. Think of a sponge: dry and stiff until it is soaked with water. That is rehydration in action.
To rehydrate means to restore moisture or fluids to something that has become dehydrated. Dehydration happens when someone or something loses more fluid than it takes in, which can lead to symptoms like thirst, fatigue, and dizziness in people. Rehydrating is the process of replacing those lost fluids.
While often associated with people, such as athletes drinking sports drinks after a game or doctors giving IV fluids to someone who is ill, rehydration applies to many things. You can rehydrate dried fruits or vegetables by soaking them in water, bringing back their shape and texture. Gardeners rehydrate soil that has become too dry for plants to grow well. Even some skincare products aim to rehydrate your skin by restoring lost moisture.
The term is also used in a more technical sense in biology and chemistry. Cells can dry out, and scientists may rehydrate them for research. In food science, knowing how to rehydrate ingredients is important for getting the right texture and consistency.
So whether it is helping a wilting plant recover, restoring your body after exercise, or adding moisture back to dried food, rehydration is about giving water or other fluids back to something that has lost them.
Examples
- 1
After exercise
After the hike, we sat in the shade and rehydrated with water and fruit.
- 2
Medical advice
The doctor told him to rest and rehydrate after being sick all night.
- 3
Skin care
This face mask is supposed to rehydrate dry skin.
- 4
Cooking
Soak the dried mushrooms for twenty minutes to rehydrate them before cooking.
See also
Similar
- restore fluids
- hydrate
Shades of meaning
Contrast
- dehydrate
- dry out
Used with (collocations)
- rehydrate after exercise
- rehydrate dried mushrooms
- oral rehydration solution
Word family
- rehydration
- rehydrated
Explore
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- rehydrate