rehydrate: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral to formal; common in technical, medical, fitness, and culinary contexts.
Quick answer
What does “rehydrate” mean?
To add water or moisture back to something that has been dried out.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To add water or moisture back to something that has been dried out.
To restore fluid balance in the body, typically after exercise, illness, or dehydration. Can also refer to restoring water content to dried food products or other materials.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or grammatical differences. Spelling and usage are identical.
Connotations
Slight connotation of medical or fitness advice in both varieties.
Frequency
Comparatively similar frequency, with a slight increase in American English in commercial contexts (e.g., sports drink marketing).
Grammar
How to Use “rehydrate” in a Sentence
[transitive] rehydrate + noun (e.g., rehydrate the powder)[intransitive] subject + rehydrate (e.g., Athletes must rehydrate.)rehydrate + [reflexive] (e.g., rehydrate yourself)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “rehydrate” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- After the marathon, it's crucial to rehydrate slowly and steadily.
- You must rehydrate the dried mushrooms in boiling water for twenty minutes.
American English
- The coach told the team to rehydrate with an electrolyte drink.
- Just add hot water to rehydrate the instant rice.
adjective
British English
- The rehydrated meal was surprisingly palatable.
- Apply the rehydrate solution to the affected area.
American English
- She ate a packet of rehydrated beans for lunch.
- The rehydrate formula is designed for rapid absorption.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in the food industry for instructions on preparing dried ingredients (e.g., 'Rehydrate the yeast in warm water').
Academic
Common in biological, medical, and nutritional sciences to describe processes in physiology or food science.
Everyday
Used in contexts of health, fitness, and cooking (e.g., 'Remember to rehydrate during your hike').
Technical
Precise term in medicine (e.g., intravenous fluids to rehydrate a patient), chemistry, and materials science.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “rehydrate”
- Using 'hydrate' when 'rehydrate' is more accurate (e.g., 'I need to hydrate' vs. 'I need to rehydrate' after becoming dehydrated).
- Incorrect spelling: 're-hydrate' (hyphen is generally not used in modern English).
- Using it without the necessary context of prior dehydration (e.g., 'rehydrate a new plant' is odd if it was never dry).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is commonly used for people, animals, and inanimate objects like food (dried fruit, powdered milk) or materials (clay, paper).
'Hydrate' means to provide water or fluids in general. 'Rehydrate' specifically means to restore water that has been lost, implying a previous state of hydration that was reduced.
Yes, especially in health contexts (e.g., 'It's vital to rehydrate after illness'). The implied object is oneself or one's body.
It is neutral. It is standard in everyday, technical, and medical English. In very casual conversation, people might simply say 'drink water' or 'have a drink' instead.
To add water or moisture back to something that has been dried out.
Rehydrate: in British English it is pronounced /ˌriː.haɪˈdreɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌriːˈhaɪ.dreɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'RE- + HYDRATE' = to HYDRATE again. Like a plant that has dried out and needs water AGAIN.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY IS A CONTAINER FOR FLUIDS (that can be refilled).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'rehydrate' LEAST appropriate?