recess

American  

[ri-ses, ree-ses] / rɪˈsɛs, ˈri sɛs /

noun

1. temporary withdrawal or cessation from the usual work or activity.

   Synonyms:

   vacation, break, rest, respite

2. a period of such withdrawal.

3. a receding part or space, as a bay or alcove in a room.

4. an indentation in a line or extent of coast, hills, forest, etc.

5. recesses, a secluded or inner area or part.

   in the recesses of the palace.

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verb (used with object)

1. to place or set in a recess.

2. to set or form as or like a recess; make a recess or recesses in.

   to recess a wall.

3. to suspend or defer for a recess.

   to recess the Senate.

verb (used without object)

1. to take a recess.

recess British  

noun

1. a space, such as a niche or alcove, set back or indented

2. (often plural) a secluded or secret place

   recesses of the mind

3. a cessation of business, such as the closure of Parliament during a vacation

4. anatomy a small cavity or depression in a bodily organ, part, or structure

5. a break between classes at a school

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verb

1. (tr) to place or set (something) in a recess

2. (tr) to build a recess or recesses in (a wall, building, etc)

Other Word Forms

• nonrecess
  noun

Etymology

Origin of recess

1510–20; < Latin recessus a withdrawal, receding part, equivalent to recēd ( ere ) to recede ¹ + -tus suffix of v. action, with dt > ss

Explanation

Recess is a break from doing something, like work or school. Almost everyone looks forward to taking a recess — even if you don't have access to monkey bars. Recess comes from the Latin word recessus, meaning "a going back, retreat." You may have heard children talking about recess as their favorite part of school. This meaning of the word refers to the break in a school day for children to play, usually outside in a playground. As a verb, recess means to take a break at the end of a session — usually in a court proceeding: "The judge announced the court would recess until the following day."

Example Sentences

Congress is about halfway through its Endless Summer Recess.

From Slate • Aug. 19, 2023

They then have a decent run of unbroken legislating, with eight weeks from their return on 5 June to the start of the Summer Recess at the close of business on 26 July.

From BBC • May 19, 2023

The Recess Therapy interview had gone international before Jessica, 33, even found out her son was going viral.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 25, 2022

The clip was from Recess Therapy, a web series in which host Julian Shapiro-Barnum interviews children between the ages of two and nine years old in New York.

From Salon • Aug. 27, 2022

Recess consisted of getting several hundred children herded into this small, stone-paved enclosure and then getting them out again.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

Related Words

• closure
• hiatus
• holiday
• layoff
• lull
• pause
• respite
• suspension
• time-out
• vacation