recapitulate

UK: /ˌriːkəˈpɪtʃʊleɪt/

US: /ˌrikəˈpɪtʃəˌleɪt/

US: (rē′kə pich′ə lāt′)

Inflections of 'recapitulate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

recapitulates

v 3rd person singular

recapitulating

v pres p

recapitulated

v past

recapitulated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•ca•pit•u•late /ˌrikəˈpɪtʃəˌleɪt/   v., -lated, -lat•ing. 

1. to review or tell again, by a brief summary, as at the end of a speech or discussion; summarize: [~ + object]
   He recapitulated his arguments.
   [no object]
   To recapitulate, the plan is accepted.

re•ca•pit•u•la•tion /ˌrikəˌpɪtʃəˈleɪʃən/  n. 

[uncountable] The paper needs less recapitulation.

[countable] another recapitulation.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•ca•pit•u•late  (rē′kə pich′ə lāt′), v., -lated, -lat•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to review by a brief summary, as at the end of a speech or discussion;
   summarize.
2. Developmental Biology, Biology [Biol.] (of an organism) to repeat (ancestral evolutionary stages) in its development.
3. Music and Dance to restate (the exposition) in a sonata-form movement.

v.i. 

4. to sum up statements or matters.

• Late Latin recapitulātus (past participle of recapitulāre), equivalent. to re- re- + capitulātus; see capitulate
• 1560–70

Synonyms

• 1. See repeat. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

recapitulate / ˌriːkəˈpɪtjʊˌleɪt/ verb

1. to restate the main points of (an argument, speech, etc); summarize
2. (transitive) (of an animal) to repeat (stages of its evolutionary development) during the embryonic stages of its life

Etymology: 16th Century: from Late Latin recapitulāre, literally: to put back under headings; see capitulate

ˌrecaˈpitulative, ˌrecaˈpitulatory adjective