English Explanatory Dictionary

relapse

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To fall back again; to slide or turn back into a former state or practice.
  2. To recur; to worsen, be aggravated (after a period of improvement).
  3. To return to a vice, especially self-harm or alcoholism, failing to maintain abstinence.
  4. To slip or slide back physically; to turn back.
noun
  1. The act or situation of relapsing.
  2. An occasion when a person becomes ill again after a period of improvement
  3. One who has relapsed, or fallen back into error; a backslider.

Pronunciation

/ɹɪˈlæps/ /ˈɹiːˌlæps/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-relapse1.wav LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-relapse2.wav LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vininn126-relapse.wav

Word forms

relapse relapses relapsing relapsed

Etymology

From Latin relapsus, past participle of relabi (“to slide back, fall back”), from re- (“back”) + labi (“to slip, slide, fall”).

Related words

remission

Derived words

irrelapsable relapsable relapser nonrelapsed nonrelapsing unrelapsingrelapsing fever nonrelapse prerelapse
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