WordGarden.iorecapitulate
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /riːkəˈpɪtʃʊleɪt/Canadaverb
US
- /ˌrikəˈpɪtʃəˌleɪt/
Meanings
Verb
to summarize the main points again
to repeat or reproduce an earlier pattern or developmental process
Beyond the definition
Imagine you've just finished telling your friend an epic story about your day—full of twists, turns, and hilarious mishaps! If they ask you to recapitulate, they aren't asking for the whole story again. They want a concise summary that hits only the highlights.
The word comes from Latin roots meaning "to go over the main headings again." It is more formal than simply saying "sum up" and often appears in business meetings, speeches, or academic settings where key information needs to be restated clearly. A politician might recapitulate their campaign promises before an election, or a teacher might ask students to recapitulate the main themes of a novel. It's about bringing a discussion full circle by quickly revisiting the essentials that have already been covered.
To recapitulate means to summarize and restate the main points of a discourse, often in a concise and organized manner. It goes beyond mere repetition; it involves drawing together key ideas and presenting them again to ensure emphasis and clarity.
The word has its roots in legal and rhetorical traditions, where it was used to formally review arguments or evidence before reaching a conclusion. While it remains somewhat formal today, recapitulate is still used when you need to bring someone up to speed on a complex topic in a clear, orderly way. For example: "Let me recapitulate the key findings of the study," or "Before we move forward, let's recapitulate what we've agreed upon."
It can also appear in biology in a specialized sense, where a process or structure seems to repeat an earlier stage or pattern. That use is technical and much less common than the everyday meaning of summarizing the main points.
More generally, recapitulating something suggests a deliberate effort to revisit and consolidate information, ensuring everyone is on the same page before proceeding. It's about providing a clear and succinct overview, bringing things full circle, and reinforcing understanding. So, if someone asks you to recapitulate, prepare to deliver a polished and effective summary!
Examples
- 1
Lecture summary
At the end of the lecture, the professor recapitulated the three key ideas.
- 2
Meeting recap
Before we finish, let's recapitulate what we've agreed on so far.
- Patternrecapitulate what has been agreed on
go over the decisions again
- 3
Report evidence
The report recapitulates the evidence from the earlier chapters.
- 4
Literary criticism
In the final chapter, the novelist recapitulates an image from the opening scene.
- Usage
used in formal writing about books or art when something earlier appears again
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Do not confuse
Used with (collocations)
- recapitulate the main points
- briefly recapitulate
- recapitulate the argument
Word family
Explore
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- recapitulateverb
Forms
- recapitulatesverb
- recapitulatedpast tenseverb
- recapitulating-ing formverb