recruit

[ ri-kroot ]

noun

1. a newly enlisted or drafted member of the armed forces.
2. a new member of a group, organization, or the like.
3. a fresh supply of something.

verb (used with object)

1. to enlist (a person) for service in one of the armed forces.
2. to raise (a force) by enlistment.
3. to strengthen or supply (an armed force) with new members.
4. to furnish or replenish with a fresh supply; renew.
5. to renew or restore (the health, strength, etc.).
6. to attempt to acquire the services of (a person) for an employer:

   She recruits executives for all the top companies.

7. to attempt to enroll or enlist (a member, affiliate, student, or the like):

   a campaign to recruit new club members.

8. to seek to enroll (an athlete) at a school or college, often with an offer of an athletic scholarship.

verb (used without object)

1. to enlist persons for service in one of the armed forces.
2. to engage in finding and attracting employees, new members, students, athletes, etc.
3. to recover health, strength, etc.
4. to gain new supplies of anything lost or wasted.

recruit

/ rɪˈkruːt /

verb

1. 1. to enlist (men) for military service
   2. to raise or strengthen (an army, navy, etc) by enlistment
2. tr to enrol or obtain (members, support, etc)
3. to furnish or be furnished with a fresh supply; renew
4. archaic.
   to recover (health, strength, spirits, etc)

noun

1. a newly joined member of a military service
2. any new member or supporter

Derived Forms

• reˈcruitment, noun
• reˈcruiter, noun
• reˈcruitable, adjective

Other Words From

• re·cruit·a·ble adjective
• re·cruit·er noun
• un·re·cruit·a·ble adjective
• un·re·cruit·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of recruit¹

First recorded in 1635–45; from French, stem of recruter, derivative of recrue “new growth,” noun use of feminine past participle of recroître ( re- re- + croître, from Latin crēscere “to grow”; crescent )

Word History and Origins

Origin of recruit¹

C17: from French recrute literally: new growth, from recroître to grow again, from Latin recrēscere from re- + crēscere to grow

Example Sentences

Some of the pledges, including to recruit more police officers and build 1.5 million homes, restate existing commitments.

From BBC

However, the Conservatives said only a third of the new recruits would be full police officers and the plan was not properly funded.

From BBC

The first day of the early signing period also came with a few pleasing developments for Foster and his recruiting staff.

From Los Angeles Times

It had been a turbulent morning, at the end of a turbulent recruiting cycle for USC and Lincoln Riley.

From Los Angeles Times

An obvious list would include Robert Cottingham’s signature landscapes of elaborate neon signage and Malcolm Morley’s souvenir postcards of cruise ships and recruiting posters of naval destroyers.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• call up
• draft
• engage
• enlist
• enroll
• improve
• mobilize
• raise
• round up
• select