n. The repeating of or returning to criminal behavior by the same offender or type of offender. [From recidivist, one who recidivates, from French récidiviste, from récidiver, to relapse, from Medieval Latin recidīvāre, from Latin recidīvus, falling back, from recidere, to fall back : re-, re- + cadere, to fall; see kad- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] re·cidi·vist n. re·cid′i·vistic, re·cidi·vous adj. |
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