WordGarden.iotranslocate
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ˈtrænzləʊkeɪt/verb
US
- /trænzˈloʊˌkeɪt/verb
Meanings
Verb
to move something to a different place
to move an organ, tissue, protein, gene, or chromosome segment to another site
Beyond the definition
To translocate means to move something from one place to another, usually in a planned or natural way. It is more formal than simply saying "move" and is most often used in science and technical writing. In botany, it describes how a plant moves sugars and nutrients through its tissues. In ecology, it can mean moving an endangered animal population to a safer habitat to help it survive and grow. The word usually suggests that the change of place is important to the process itself.
The word "translocate" comes from Latin roots meaning "across" and "place," and that idea sits at the heart of the word: something is carried or shifted from one location to another. Unlike the everyday word "move," translocate is usually used when the transfer is part of a biological, scientific, or carefully managed process.
In biology, the word appears in several important ways. Plants translocate sugars and other substances from the leaves to other parts of the plant through the phloem. In genetics, a chromosomal translocation happens when a piece of one chromosome breaks off and attaches to another chromosome, sometimes causing major biological effects.
Outside the lab, the word is also used for careful relocation. Conservation teams may translocate elephants, wolves, or other animals to a different area to protect the species or restore balance in an ecosystem. It can also be used for moving something large or significant, such as a historic structure that is taken apart and rebuilt elsewhere. The idea behind the word is not just movement, but movement from one specific place to another in a way that matters.
Examples
- 1
Wildlife conservation
After the wildfire, conservation workers translocated several koalas to a protected area nearby.
- Domain
in conservation, translocate often means moving wild animals to a new area
- 2
Surgery
The surgeon translocated a tendon to restore movement in her hand.
- 3
Plant biology
In healthy plants, sugars are translocated from the leaves to the roots during the growing season.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
- remain
- leave in place
Do not confuse
Used with (collocations)
- translocate wildlife
- translocate a population
- translocate across a membrane
Word family
Explore
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- translocateverb