Recycle Meaning and Definition

Recycle

Recycle

Pronunciation

/rɪˈsʌaɪk/

Part of Speech

Noun, Verb

Definition

The action of treating and processing materials, such as paper, plastic, and glass, to conserve natural resources and reduce environmental pollution.

Examples

  • Make sure to recycle your trash to help the environment.
  • The city has implemented a recycling program to reduce waste in landfills.
  • The company aims to increase recycling rates by 50% in the next two years.
  • Recycling aluminum cans is an important step in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
  • The community recycling center accepts paper, plastic, and glass materials.
  • Recycling helps conserve natural resources and reduces the need to extract new resources.

Synonyms

  • Reclaim
  • Reuse
  • Reuseable

Antonyms

  • Waste
  • Discard
  • Dispose

Etymology

From Latin “recyclare”, to flow back, from “re-” (again) + “cyclare” (to fold or curl), from Greek “kyklē” (circle)

Usage Notes

Recycling can be done at home or in a community recycling center.

Recycle is often used as a verb, but it can also be used as a noun to refer to the act of recycling.

Cultural References

In popular culture, recycling is often depicted as a crucial step in maintaining a healthy environment.

Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases

Sustainability is key to recycling, so let’s reduce, reuse, recycle!

Related Words or Phrases

Conservation, Environment, Waste Management, Pollution

Collocations

Recycle paper, recycle plastic, recycle glass, recycle aluminum

Frequency of Use

Recycle is a commonly used term, especially in the context of environmentalism and sustainability.

Common Misspellings

Recylce, Recyckle, Ricaycle

Related Words