Emily Dickinson Lexicon

GRAFT, n. [Fr. greffe; Arm. id; Ir. grafchur; D. griffel; from the root of grave, engrave, Gr. γραφω, L. scribo, the sense of which is to scrape or to dig. In Scot. graif, signifies to bury, to inter. The sense of graft is that which is inserted. See Grave.]

A small shoot or cion of a tree, inserted in another tree as the stock which is to support and nourish it. These unite and become one tree, but the graft determines the kind of fruit.