I. ˈgraft noun
Etymology: Middle English graffe, grafte, from Anglo-French greffe, graife stylus, graph, from Medieval Latin graphium, from Latin, stylus, from Greek grapheion, from graphein to write — more at carve
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : a grafted plant
b. : scion 1
c. : the point of insertion of a scion upon a stock
2.
a. : the act of grafting
b. : something grafted ; specifically : living tissue used in grafting
[
graft 1c: a scion, b stock
]
II. verb
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1.
a. : to cause (a scion) to unite with a stock ; also : to unite (plants or scion and stock) to form a graft
b. : to propagate (a plant) by grafting
2.
a. : to join or unite as if by grafting
b. : to attach (a chemical unit) to a main molecular chain
3. : to implant (living tissue) surgically
intransitive verb
1. : to become grafted
2. : to perform grafting
• graft·er noun
III. noun
Etymology: English dialect graft, verb, to work
Date: 1853
chiefly British : work , labor
IV.
Etymology: origin unknown
Date: 1859
transitive verb
: to get (illicit gain) by graft
intransitive verb
: to practice graft
V. noun
Date: 1865
: the acquisition of gain (as money) in dishonest or questionable ways ; also : illegal or unfair gain