What does "recapitulation" mean?
A subsequent brief recitement or enumeration of the major points in a narrative, article, or book.
Recapitulation
/ɹiː.kəˌpɪ.t͡ʃəˈleɪ.ʃ(ə)n/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A subsequent brief recitement or enumeration of the major points in a narrative, article, or book.
- Grammar: recapitulation is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: recap, abbreviation, abridgment, abstract.
- Useful contrasts: condensation, detail, development.
- Usage evidence: The dolorous effects of the second world war on train services, and its protracted legacies of over-age equipment and shortages of material for replacement, are too fresh in memory to require recapitulation here; […].
How to use "recapitulation"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "recapitulation" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "recapitulation" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "recapitulation" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "recapitulation" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "recapitulation" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "recap" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "recapitulation", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A subsequent brief recitement or enumeration of the major points in a narrative, article, or book. countable, uncountable
"The dolorous effects of the second world war on train services, and its protracted legacies of over-age equipment and shortages of material for replacement, are too fresh in memory to require recapitulation here; […]."
- 2 (music) the repetition of themes introduced earlier (especially when one is composing the final part of a movement) wordnet
- 3 The third major section of a musical movement written in sonata form, representing thematic material that originally appeared in the exposition section. countable, uncountable
"In classical music there are, as the analytical programs tell us, first subjects and second subjects, free fantasias, recapitulations, and codas; there are fugues, with counter-subjects, strettos, and pedal points; there are passacaglias on ground basses, canons ad hypodiapente, and other ingenuities, which have, after all, stood or fallen by their prettiness as much as the simplest folk-tune."
- 4 a summary at the end that repeats the substance of a longer discussion wordnet
- 5 The reenactment of the embryonic development in evolution of the species. countable, uncountable
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 (music) the section of a composition or movement (especially in sonata form) in which musical themes that were introduced earlier are repeated wordnet
- 7 The symmetry provided by Christ's life to the teachings of the Old Testament; the summation of human experience in Jesus Christ. countable, uncountable
"one would expect God's final purpose to be expressed in his created world, since the doctrine of recapitulation showed that this is where his plans had worked out before."
- 8 emergence during embryonic development of various characters or structures that appeared during the evolutionary history of the strain or species wordnet
Example
"The dolorous effects of the second world war on train services, and its protracted legacies of over-age equipment and shortages of material for replacement, are too fresh in memory to require recapitulation here; […]."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "recapitulation"?
Common synonyms include: recap, abbreviation, abridgment, abstract, account, accounts.
How do you use "recapitulation" in a sentence?
The dolorous effects of the second world war on train services, and its protracted legacies of over-age equipment and shortages of material for replacement, are too fresh in memory to require recapitulation here; […].
How do you pronounce "recapitulation"?
Pronounced /ɹiː.kəˌpɪ.t͡ʃəˈleɪ.ʃ(ə)n/.
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman recapitulaciun et al., Middle French recapitulacion et al., or their source, from Late Latin recapitulatio (“summing up, summary”), from the participle stem of recapitulare (“recapitulate”), from re- + capitulum (“chapter, section”), diminutive of caput (“head”).