WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
re-claim
(rē klām′),USA pronunciation v.t.
re•claim (ri klām′),USA pronunciation v.t.
v.i.
n.
re•claim′a•ble, adj.
re•claim′er, n.
- to claim or demand the return or restoration of, as a right, possession, etc.
- to claim again.
- late Middle English. See re-, claim 1400–50
re•claim (ri klām′),USA pronunciation v.t.
- to bring (uncultivated areas or wasteland) into a condition for cultivation or other use.
- to recover (substances) in a pure or usable form from refuse, discarded articles, etc.
- to bring back to a preferable manner of living, sound principles, ideas, etc.
- to tame.
- re-claim.
v.i.
- to protest;
object.
n.
- reclamation:beyond reclaim.
- Old French reclaim, reclam, derivative of reclamer
- Latin reclāmāre to cry out against, equivalent. to re- re- + clāmāre to claim; (noun, nominal) Middle English reclaim(e)
- Old French reclamer (tonic stem reclaim-)
- (verb, verbal) Middle English recla(i)men 1250–1300
re•claim′er, n.
- 2. regain, restore. See recover.