/ rɪˈkleɪm; NAmE / verb [ vn ]
1.
reclaim sth (from sb/sth) to get sth back or to ask to have it back after it has been lost, taken away, etc. :
You'll have to go to the police station to reclaim your wallet.
The team reclaimed the title from their rivals.
—see also baggage reclaim
2.
reclaim sth (from sth) to make land that is naturally too wet or too dry suitable to be built on, farmed, etc. :
The site for the airport will be reclaimed from the swamp.
reclaimed marshland
3.
[ usually passive ] if a piece of land is reclaimed by desert, forest, etc., it turns back into desert, etc. after being used for farming or building
4.
reclaim sth (from sth) to obtain materials from waste products so that they can be used again
—see also recycle
5.
reclaim sb (from sth) to rescue sb from a bad or criminal way of life
► rec·lam·ation / ˌrekləˈmeɪʃn; NAmE / noun [ U ]:
land reclamation
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (used in falconry in the sense recall ): from Old French reclamer , from Latin reclamare cry out against, from re- back + clamare to shout.