From Middle English plante, from Old English plante (“young tree or shrub, herb newly planted”), from Proto-West Germanic *plantu, from Latin planta (“sprout, shoot, cutting”). Broader sense of "any vegetable life, vegetation generally" is from Old French plante. Doublet of clan (borrowed through Celtic languages) and planta (directly from Latin). The verb is from Middle English planten, from Old English plantian (“to plant”), from Latin plantāre, later influenced by Old French planter. Compare also Dutch planten (“to plant”), German pflanzen (“to plant”), Swedish plantera (“to plant”), Icelandic planta (“to plant”). The factory and machinery senses comes from the Latin sense of "any vegetable production that serves to propagate the species," which refers to something that produces.
Biology, Botany, Natural sciences An organism that is not an animal, especially an organism capable of photosynthesis, and typically a small or herbaceous organism of this kind, rather than a tree.
The garden had a couple of trees, and a cluster of colourful plants around the border.
In plants, the ability to recognize self from nonself plays an important role in fertilization, because self-fertilization will result in less diverse offspring than fertilization with pollen from another individual. Many genes with reproductive roles also have antibacterial and immune functions, which indicate that the threat of microbial attack on the sperm or egg may be a major influence on rapid evolution during reproduction.2013 May-June, Katrina G. Claw, “Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 217:
2
Biology, Botany, Natural sciences An organism of the kingdom Plantae, and now specifically, a living organism of the Embryophyta (land plants) or of the Chlorophyta (green algae), a eukaryote that includes double-membraned chloroplasts in its cells containing chlorophyll a and b, or any organism closely related to such an organism.
3
Biology, Ecology, Natural sciences Now specifically, a multicellular eukaryote that includes chloroplasts in its cells, which have a cell wall.
4
Obsolete A young tree, vine, shrub, or herb; a sapling.
Take, Shepherd, take a Plant of ſtubborn Oak; / And labour him with many a ſturdy ſtroke: / Or with hard Stones, demoliſh from afar / His haughty Creſt, the feat of all the War.1694, “The Third Book of Virgil's Georgicks”, in John Dryden, transl., The Annual Miscellany, for the Year 1694, 2nd edition, London: Jacob Tonson, published 1708, page 185:
5
Proscribed, As biologically inaccurate Any creature that grows on soil or similar surfaces, including plants and fungi.
Some plants, such as mushrooms found in the wild, are difficult to identify. Some plants are poisonous, and an inexperienced individual may make mistakes in identification of wild plants, with tragic results.2007 November 19, Ping-chung Leung, Harry H S Fong, Alternative Treatment For Cancer, World Scientific, →ISBN, page 205:
6
A factory or other industrial or institutional building or facility.
The company has production plants in three countries.
My dad worked at the plant for 27 years.
1 more example
The US group does have another vaccine plant in Ireland – in Carlow – but it is understood the Dundalk site is the only live virus vaccine facility in MSD’s Irish network.2025 6 Jan, Dominic Coyle, “Drug giant MSD buys Wuxi’s Irish vaccines plant in €500m deal”, in The Irish Times, archived from the original on 03 Feb 2025:
7
Machinery and other supplies and equipment, such as the kind used in heavy industry, light industry, earthmoving, or construction.
Near-synonym: capital equipment
industrial plant
2 more examples
refrigeration plant
A massive amount of plant has been trucked in and installed over the past two years, and production is expected to begin soon.
8
Australia The equipment and work animals of a drover or other rural worker travelling through the countryside.
Nigger smoke-talks had told him of the patrol and of Felix’s mustering plant. Once he had absorbed the ‘outside’ news the night’s new the conversation started in earnest.1937, Ion L. Idriess, Over the Range, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, published 1947, page 44:
9
An object placed surreptitiously in order to cause suspicion to fall upon a person.
That gun’s not mine! It’s a plant! I’ve never seen it before!
Anyone assigned to behave as a member of the public during a covert operation (as in a police investigation).
12
A person, placed amongst an audience, whose role is to cause confusion, laughter etc.
13
Ball games, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Snooker, Sports A play in which the cue ball knocks one (usually red) ball onto another, in order to pot the second; a set.
O’Sullivan risked a plant that went badly astray, splitting the reds.2008 April 28, Phil Yates, The Times:
The company's product range includes tools, construction plant, diggers, dumpers and rollers.2007 January 26, “HSS buys Laois tool hire business”, in RTÉ News, archived from the original on 03 Feb 2025:
Knotty legs, and plants of clay, / Seek for eaſe, or love delay.1611, Ben Jonson, “Oberon, the Faery Prince”, in The Works of Ben Jonson, volume V, London: D. Midwinter et al., published 1756, page 384:
It wasn’t a bad plant that of mine, on Fikey, the man accused of forging the Sou’ Westeru Railway debentures—it was only t’ other day—because the reason why? I’ll tell you.1850 March 30, Charles Dickens, “A Detective Police Party”, in Household Words, volume 1, page 413:
Now, Max, by what combination of circumstances is a rogue to know my password, to be able to forge my signature, to possess himself of my key, and to resemble me personally? And, finally, how is he possibly to determine beforehand whether there is anything in my safe to repay so elaborate a plant?1914, Ernest Bramah, Max Carrados:
16
An oyster which has been bedded, in distinction from one of natural growth.
17
US, Dialectal A young oyster suitable for transplanting.
18
A system, such as a motor, whose behaviour is being regulated or controlled by a control system.
19
UK, Obsolete, Slang A position in the street to sell from; a pitch.
From Middle English plante, from Old English plante (“young tree or shrub, herb newly planted”), from Proto-West Germanic *plantu, from Latin planta (“sprout, shoot, cutting”). Broader sense of "any vegetable life, vegetation generally" is from Old French plante. Doublet of clan (borrowed through Celtic languages) and planta (directly from Latin). The verb is from Middle English planten, from Old English plantian (“to plant”), from Latin plantāre, later influenced by Old French planter. Compare also Dutch planten (“to plant”), German pflanzen (“to plant”), Swedish plantera (“to plant”), Icelandic planta (“to plant”). The factory and machinery senses comes from the Latin sense of "any vegetable production that serves to propagate the species," which refers to something that produces.
Ambitransitive To place (a seed or plant) in soil or other substrate in order that it may live and grow.
2
To furnish or supply with plants.
to plant a garden, an orchard, or a forest
His father had given him a little square bed in a corner of the garden, which he had planted with corn two days before.1848, Jacob Abbott, “Story I. Labour Lost.—Elky.”, in Rollo at Work: Or, The Way for a Boy to Learn to be Industrious, London: James S. Hodson, page 5:
1 more example
With your mouse, you plant a garden by selecting plants from a database of 450 of the most common flowers, shrubs, and trees.1991 November 26, Don Trivette, “How Does Your Garden Grow? With Silver Bells And Mouse Button Clicks”, in PC Mag, volume 10, number 20, Ziff Davis, Inc., →ISSN, page 604:
3
To place (an object, or sometimes a person), often with the implication of intending deceit.
That gun’s not mine! It was planted there by the real murderer!
Not only that, I thought, but cynics would now theorise that the interview piece was a PR exercise, a planted story designed as damage-limitation in the event that some probing journalist revealed all about the love nest.1999, Terry Prone, The Skywriter, page 182:
4
To place or set something firmly or with conviction.
to plant cannon against a fort; to plant a flag; to plant one’s feet on solid ground
Plant your feet firmly and give the rope a good tug.
1 more example
First Anelka curled a shot wide from just outside the box, then Lampard planted a header over the bar from Bosingwa's cross.2011 January 15, Sam Sheringham, “Chelsea 2 - 0 Blackburn Rovers”, in BBC:
5
To place in the ground.
God moves in a myſterious way, / His wonders to perform; / He plants his footſteps in the ſea, / And rides upon the ſtorm.1780, William Cowper, “Light Shining out of Darkneſs”, in Twenty-ſix Letters on Religious Subjects […] To which are added Hymns […] , 4th edition, page 252:
Sarah, she kissed each of her grandparents on the forehead. They were planted in a graveyard behind the church.2007, Richard Laymon, Savage, page 118:
6
To engender; to generate; to set the germ of.
It engenders choler, planteth anger.c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
7
To furnish with a fixed and organized population; to settle; to establish.
to plant a colony
planting of countries like planting of woods1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Plantations”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
8
To introduce and establish the principles or seeds of.
to plant Christianity among the heathen
9
To set up; to install; to instate.
We will plant some other in the throne.c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene vii]: