ENGLISH
REFERENCE

recruit

v. · n.
US //ɹəˈkɹut// UK //ɹɪkɹˈuːt// re·cruit
  1. 1 to hire or enlist (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to find and persuade people to join a company, an organization, or the army.

    to enlist new members or potential employees for an organization, military force, or sports team.

    Example

    The tech company is trying to recruit more software engineers from local universities.

    Example

    The agency was tasked to recruit high-level executives who possessed both technical expertise and significant leadership experience in the renewable energy sector.

    Usage

    Often used with the preposition 'to' or 'into'.

  2. 2 biological growth (v.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Science

    when young animals or plants become part of a main group or population.

    to add new individuals to a population through birth, settlement, or maturation to a specific life stage.

    Example

    The coral reef began to recruit new larvae after the water temperature returned to normal.

    Example

    Ecologists observed that the forest failed to recruit new oak saplings due to the overpopulation of deer in the protected area.

    Usage

    Used both transitively and intransitively in ecological contexts.

Show 1 more senseShow fewer
  1. 3 a new member (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a person who has recently joined an organization or the army.

    a newly enlisted member of an organization, especially a soldier who has recently joined the armed forces.

    Example

    The new recruits spent their first week learning the rules of the training camp.

    Example

    The sergeant spent the afternoon drilling the raw recruits, ensuring they could execute basic maneuvers with precision before the field exercises began.

Origin

From French recruter (as a verb).

Word family

© 2026 English Reference