Word: hydrate (verb)

Associations

Hydrate means to add water to something or to provide moisture. It is often used when talking about drinking water or keeping something wet.

• You should hydrate after exercising. (This means you should drink water to replace what you lost while sweating.)
• Plants need to be hydrated regularly. (This means plants need water to stay alive and healthy.)
• It is important to hydrate your skin. (This means you should apply moisturizer to keep your skin from getting dry.)

A well-known synonym for hydrate is "moisten." The main difference is that "hydrate" often refers specifically to adding water, while "moisten" can refer to adding any liquid to make something less dry.

Substitution

You can use other words or phrases in place of "hydrate":

• "Moisten" can be used when talking about making something wet, but it is less specific about water.
• "Replenish" can be used when talking about restoring fluids in your body.
• "Saturate" can be used when discussing making something very wet, but it can imply more liquid than just water.

Deconstruction

The root of "hydrate" comes from the Greek word "hydor," which means water. The suffix "-ate" is used to form verbs. So, "hydrate" literally means to make something have water.

Historically, the word has been used in science and health contexts to describe the process of adding water to substances or living things.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you forgot to hydrate? What happened?
• How do you usually make sure you stay hydrated during the day?
• In what ways do you hydrate your skin or hair?