replacement

American  

[ri-pleys-muhnt] / rɪˈpleɪs mənt /

noun

1. the act of replacing.

2. a person or thing that replaces another.

   summer replacements for vacationing staff; a replacement for a broken dish.

3. Military. a sailor, soldier, or airman assigned to fill a vacancy in a military unit.

4. Also called metasomatism.  Geology. the process of practically simultaneous removal and deposition by which a new mineral grows in the body of an old one.

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replacement British  

/ rɪˈpleɪsmənt /

noun

1. the act or process of replacing

2. a person or thing that replaces another

3. geology the growth of a mineral within another of different chemical composition by gradual simultaneous deposition and removal

4. Also called: petrification.  a process of fossilization by gradual substitution of mineral matter for the original organic matter

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Other Word Forms

• nonreplacement
  noun

Etymology

Origin of replacement

First recorded in 1780–90; replace + -ment

Explanation

A replacement is the thing that fills in for something that's missing, or the act of substituting for the missing thing. The replacement for your absent teacher is an annoying substitute. Sigh. When kids lose their baby teeth, replacements soon grow in their places. And when kids need to have their teeth cleaned but their dentist is on vacation, her replacement will be in charge of taking x-rays and checking for cavities. Replacement comes from the verb replace, which adds the "back" prefix re- to place, "to put somewhere."

Example Sentences

Ruiz, who had entered the game two innings earlier as a defensive replacement, came through in the most pressurized of situations.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026

Treatment usually focuses on pain relief, with joint replacement becoming an option when symptoms become severe.

From Science Daily • May 22, 2026

In its earnings report earlier this month, Palantir Technologies claimed that it had done just that, making a custom replacement for its customer relations management software, a market where Salesforce is the biggest player.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

The Green Party intend to make a decision on a replacement candidate on Monday after their initial choice withdrew hours after he was announced.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

Turned out he was heading back to Montevideo, where he was from, and the guy who owned the building back then wanted him to find a replacement to manage the property.

From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez

Related Words

• reinstatement
• restoration
• stand-in