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re·lapse

(rĭ-lăps)

intr.v. re·lapsed, re·laps·ing, re·laps·es

1. To return to a former state.

a. To become sicker after partial recovery from an illness.

b. To recur. Used of an illness.

3. To slip back into bad ways; backslide.

n. (rēlăps, rĭ-lăps)

A return to a former state, especially after apparent improvement.

[Middle English relapsen, to forswear, from Latin relābī, relāps-, to fall back gradually : re-, re- + lābī, to slide.]

re·laps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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