revert

[ ri-vurt ]

verb (used without object)

1. to return to a former habit, practice, belief, condition, etc.:

   It wasn't so much that things had never changed, it was that people had reverted instead of moving forward.

   Synonyms: retrogress

2. Law. (of assets) to go back to or return to the former owner or to their heirs:

   After a certain number of years, ownership of the bridge reverts to the public.

3. Biology. to return to an earlier or primitive type.

   Synonyms: retrogress

verb (used with object)

1. to undo or roll back:

   The new version is a mess, but we should be able to revert the edits.

noun

1. an act or instance of returning to a former habit, practice, belief, condition, etc.; reversion:

   Now we are seeing a revert to a simpler writing style that grabs our attention instantly.

2. a person or thing that goes back to a previous state or condition, especially a previous religion (often used attributively):

   We offer a course for revert Muslims.

   She was a revert who left the church and came back a decade later.

3. Law. a reversion.

verb phrase

1. 1. to return or go back to a previous state or condition:

      After that, I stopped riding the bus and reverted to my old car-driving ways.

   2. to go back in thought or discussion:

      He constantly reverted to stories from his childhood.

revert

verb

1. to go back to a former practice, condition, belief, etc

   she reverted to her old wicked ways

2. to take up again or come back to a former topic
3. biology (of individuals, organs, etc) to return to a more primitive, earlier, or simpler condition or type
4. to reply to someone

   we will revert to you with pricing and other details

5. property law (of an estate or interest in land) to return to its former owner or his heirs when a grant, esp a grant for the lifetime of the grantee, comes to an end
6. revert to type
   revert to type to resume characteristics that were thought to have disappeared

noun

1. a person who, having been converted, has returned to his former beliefs or Church

Usage

Since back is part of the meaning of revert , one should not say that someone reverts back to a certain type of behaviour

Derived Forms

• reˈvertible, adjective
• reˈverter, noun

Other Words From

• re·vert·i·ble adjective
• re·vert·i·bil·i·ty [ri-vur-t, uh, -, bil, -i-tee], noun
• re·ver·tive adjective
• re·ver·tive·ly adverb
• non·re·vert·i·ble adjective
• non·re·ver·tive adjective
• un·re·vert·ed adjective
• un·re·vert·i·ble adjective
• un·re·vert·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of revert¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English reverten, from Old French revertir, Anglo-French reverter, from Latin revertere “to turn back,” from re- re- + vertere “to turn” ( verse )

Word History and Origins

Origin of revert¹

C13: from Latin revertere to return, from re- + vertere to turn

Example Sentences

I asked him to describe the U.S. mission that will likely revert back to the embassy it was more than a half century ago.

From The Daily Beast

If a bad edit appeared, the community could simply get rid of it by clicking on a “revert” link.

From The Daily Beast

And will Pam and Cheryl revert back from the Coke Monster and Cherlene?

From The Daily Beast

Classically, by turning on/off several genetic switches, scientists can revert cells to a less specialized stage.

From The Daily Beast

For her sake, New York cannot revert to the way it used to be.

From The Daily Beast

Unfortunately these people have no children; therefore on their death their property, now considerable, will revert to the master.

From Project Gutenberg

But though they use all their limbs as walking organs, they show no tendency to revert to the habit of the quadrupeds.

From Project Gutenberg

In the event of her death, this money shall revert to the parish of Pontiac, in whose graveyard I wish my body to lie.

From Project Gutenberg

But my thoughts would revert to these last words of Ormsby's.

From Project Gutenberg

So you see these actions are likely to revert to the sender, even if they are successful.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• degenerate
• go back
• hark back
• react
• regress
• turn back