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
   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

• reˈverter, noun
• reˈvertible, adjective

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

"It turns out that reverting to an ethical leadership style doesn't magically erase the impact of prior bad behavior -- and in some circumstances, it can actually make things worse."

From Science Daily

Because the ions are packed so closely together they are able to interact directly with each other, resulting in them reverting to magnetic order.

From Science Daily

After being exposed to the stress of starvation and physical injury, the comb jellies in Soto-Angel’s care reverted back to a cydippid larval stage.

From Salon

He said he would “revert water up into the hills where you have all the dead forests, where the forests are so brittle” in order to prevent wildfires.

From Los Angeles Times

He’s reverted to the correct spelling as a sign that the band has lasted well beyond its initial existence as a lark among friends.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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