recant
/ɹiˈkænt/ree-KANT
/ɹiˈkænt/ree-KANT
Meaningto unsing; to unsay
Common meaning: to take back an opinion publicly
- reagain; back
- cantto singLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 281 · scan
‘again’ + ‘to sing’ → recant
Journey through time
- Latincanō / cantō‘to sing’
- Englishrecant‘to take back an opinion publicly’ · today
re- also in: reactrebelrelaxrepelreply
cant also in: descantdisenchantdisenchantment
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Built on Latin canō / cantō ‘to sing’.
Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry canō / cantō, p. 281 · dictionary scan
Roots
- canō / cantō Latin “to sing”
Related words
Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app