re-wetting
|re-wet-ting|
/riːˈwɛtɪŋ/
(rewet)
make wet again
Etymology
'rewet' originates from the prefix 're-' (from Latin 're', meaning 'again') combined with the adjective 'wet' (from Old English 'w01t'/'w01t', meaning 'moist' or 'wet').
'wet' comes from Old English 'w01t' (also represented as 'wat' in older texts); combining the prefix 're-' with 'wet' in Modern English produced the compound 'rewet' (written also as 're-wet'), and the gerund/participle form developed as 're-wetting'.
Initially the elements meant 'again' + 'wet' (i.e., 'make wet again'); over time the compound maintained this literal meaning and gained specialist ecological usage (restoring moisture to drained wetlands).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the action or process of making something wet again; the state of being wetted again.
Re-wetting of the soil improved seed germination.
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Noun 2
in ecology and land management, the deliberate restoration of moisture to drained wetlands or peatlands to recover ecosystem functions (also called rewetting).
Re-wetting drained peatlands can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help restore biodiversity.
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Verb 1
present participle of 'rewet': to wet again or make moist once more.
They are re-wetting the peatland to restore its natural conditions.
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Last updated: 2025/11/16 22:35