“Deracinate” has roots (pun intended) in French — it comes from “dé-” (expressing removal) and “racine” (meaning “root”). It translates literally to “removing roots.” In metaphorical usage, “deracinate” (a verb used with an object) means “to uproot someone or something from their cultural, social, or geographical environment.” It’s not quite going out in the garden and pulling dandelions; rather, it applies to plucking people or things out of their comfort zones. Sometimes a deracination (the noun form) is for positive change and growth, but other times it’s more forcible.