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re·cant

(rĭ-kănt)

v. re·cant·ed, re·cant·ing, re·cants

v.tr.

To make a formal retraction or disavowal of (a statement or belief to which one has previously committed oneself).

v.intr.

To make a formal retraction or disavowal of a previously held statement or belief.

[Latin recantāre : re-, re- + cantāre, to sing, frequentative of canere; see kan- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

re′can·tation (rē′kăn-tāshən) n.

re·canter n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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