recapitulate

[ ree-kuh-pich-uh-leyt ]

verb (used with object)

, re·ca·pit·u·lated, re·ca·pit·u·lat·ing.

1. to review by a brief summary, as at the end of a speech or discussion; summarize.
2. Biology. (of an organism) to repeat (ancestral evolutionary stages) in its development.
3. Music. to restate (the exposition) in a sonata-form movement.

verb (used without object)

, re·ca·pit·u·lated, re·ca·pit·u·lat·ing.

1. to sum up statements or matters.

recapitulate

/ ˌriːkəˈpɪtjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. to restate the main points of (an argument, speech, etc); summarize
2. tr (of an animal) to repeat (stages of its evolutionary development) during the embryonic stages of its life
3. to repeat at some point during a piece of music (material used earlier in the same work)

Derived Forms

• ˌrecaˈpitulative, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of recapitulate¹

First recorded in 1560–70; from Late Latin recapitulātus (past participle of recapitulāre ), equivalent to re- re- + capitulātus; capitulate

Word History and Origins

Origin of recapitulate¹

C16: from Late Latin recapitulāre , literally: to put back under headings; see capitulate

Synonym Study

See repeat.

Example Sentences

Goldberg also recapitulates the stories about Trump's fascination with Adolf Hitler as told to him and the other authors by John Kelly.

From Salon

That kind of diversity doesn't curb racist discrimination as often as it recapitulates it.

From Salon

Stopping these toxins could save countless lives and limbs, but laboratory research usually relies on cell-based research, which doesn’t accurately recapitulate what happens in a living animal.

From Science Magazine

"Our model accurately recapitulated the disease phenotype, offering new insights into the underlying molecular and cellular pathology of cerebral vascular disorders," Guo says.

From Science Daily

The spontaneous development of liver cancer from a fatty liver can therefore only be recapitulated and investigated if all these factors interact.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• recap
• rehash