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re·al·ize (rēə-līz)
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v. re·al·ized, re·al·iz·ing, re·al·iz·es
v.tr.
1. To comprehend completely or correctly.
2. To bring into reality; make real: He finally realized his lifelong ambition to learn how to play the violin.
3. To make realistic: a film that realizes court life of the 1600s.
4. To obtain or achieve, as gain or profit: She realized a substantial return on the investment.
5. To bring in (a sum) as profit by sale.
v.intr.
To exchange holdings or goods for money.

[French réaliser, from Old French, from real, real; see REAL1.]

real·iza·ble adj.
real·izer n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.