recitation
Americannoun
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an act of reciting.
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a reciting or repeating of something from memory, especially formally or publicly.
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oral response by a pupil or pupils to a teacher on a prepared lesson.
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a period of classroom instruction.
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an elocutionary delivery of a piece of poetry or prose, without the text, before an audience.
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a piece so delivered or for such delivery.
noun
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the act of reciting from memory, or a formal reading of verse before an audience
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something recited
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of recitation
1475–85; < Latin recitātiōn- (stem of recitātiō ), equivalent to recitāt ( us ) (past participle of recitāre to recite ) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
If you've ever repeated a rhyming poem from memory in front of an audience, you've given a recitation. The noun recitation comes from the word "recite." When you recite, or say something you've memorized, you give a recitation. This happens a lot in school and in religious traditions, but you might also hear your know-it-all friend give an impromptu recitation of a famous director's films or every Beatles song in alphabetical order. The word comes from the Latin prefix re, "again," and the word citare, "to summon." Summoning again from memory is recitation.
Vocabulary lists containing recitation
The Vocabulary of College
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Passover Vocabulary
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"Slam: Performance Poetry Lives On" and "Euphoria"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Recitation was a huge part of the lessons at her school.
From "Stella by Starlight" by Sharon M. Draper
With Finegas, Finn learned the three things that make a poet, and they are Fire of Song, and Light of Knowledge, and the Art of Extempore Recitation.
From The High Deeds of Finn and other Bardic Romances of Ancient Ireland by Reid, Stephen
Recitation of the Shemah—Blessings—Rabbi Gamaliel—Exemptions from the Recitation—Prayers—Differences Between the Schools of Shammai and Hillel—Reverence for the Temple.
From Hebrew Literature by Wilson, Epiphanius
Purpose of the Recitation Lesson.—The recitation lesson is the complement of the study lesson.
From Ontario Normal School Manuals: Science of Education by Ontario. Ministry of Education
Recitation has much to do with this acting business.
From The Voice and Spiritual Education by Corson, Hiram
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
