First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
1reject
verb re·ject \ri-ˈjekt\
: to refuse to believe, accept, or consider (something)
: to decide not to publish (something) or make (something) available to the public because it is not good enough
: to refuse to allow (someone) to join a club, to attend a school, etc.
Full Definition of REJECT
transitive verb
1
2
obsolete : to cast off
3
4
: to spew out
5
: to subject to immunological rejection
— re·ject·er or re·jec·tor \-ˈjek-tər\ noun
— re·ject·ing·ly \-tiŋ-lē\ adverb
— re·jec·tive \-ˈjek-tiv\ adjective
See reject defined for English-language learners
See reject defined for kids
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Origin of REJECT
Middle English, from Latin rejectus, past participle of reicere, from re- + jacere to throw — more at jet
Related to REJECT
Synonym Discussion of REJECT
decline, refuse, reject, repudiate, spurn mean to turn away by not accepting, receiving, or considering. decline often implies courteous refusal especially of offers or invitations <declined his party's nomination>. refuse suggests more positiveness or ungraciousness and often implies the denial of something asked for <refused to lend them the money>. reject implies a peremptory refusal by sending away or discarding <rejected the manuscript as unpublishable>. repudiate implies a casting off or disowning as untrue, unauthorized, or unworthy of acceptance <teenagers who repudiate the values of their parents>. spurn stresses contempt or disdain in rejection or repudiation <spurned his overtures of friendship>.
Rhymes with REJECT
abject, advect, affect, aspect, bisect, cathect, collect, confect, connect, convect, correct, cowl-necked, defect, deflect, deject, detect, direct, Dordrecht, effect, eject, elect, erect, ewe-necked, expect, goosenecked, infect, inflect, inject, insect, inspect, neglect, object, pandect, porrect, prefect, prelect, project, prospect, protect, refect, reflect, resect, respect, ring-necked, roll-necked, select, stiff-necked, subject, suspect, traject, transect, trisect, Utrecht, V-necked
2reject
noun re·ject \ˈrē-ˌjekt\
: something that is not good enough for some purpose : something that cannot be used or accepted
: a person who is not accepted or liked by other people
Full Definition of REJECT
: a rejected person or thing; especially : one rejected as not wanted, unsatisfactory, or not fulfilling requirements
See reject defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of REJECT
circa 1555
REJECTOR Defined for Kids
1reject
verb re·ject \ri-ˈjekt\
re·ject·edre·ject·ing
Definition of REJECT for Kids
: to refuse to accept, believe, or consider <Dad rejected my excuse.> <He rejected their offer.>
Word Root of REJECT
The Latin word jacere, meaning “to throw,” and its form jactus give us the root ject. Words from the Latin jacere have something to do with throwing. To reject is to throw back or away. To eject is to throw out. To inject is to throw one thing into another. To project is to throw forward onto a surface.
2reject
noun re·ject \ˈrē-ˌjekt\
Definition of REJECT for Kids
: a person or thing not accepted as good enough for some purpose
Medical Dictionary
reject
transitive verb re·ject \ri-ˈjekt\
Medical Definition of REJECT
1
: to rebuff, repel, refuse to hear, or withhold love from; especially : to communicate negative feelings toward and a wish to be free of <parents who reject their children>
2
: to subject to immunological rejection <rejected a heart transplant>
—re·jec·tive \ri-ˈjek-tiv\ adjective
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