recidivism

[ ri-sid-uh-viz-uhm ]
See synonyms for recidivism on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. repeated or habitual relapse, as into crime.

  2. Psychiatry. the chronic tendency toward repetition of criminal or antisocial behavior patterns.

Origin of recidivism

1
1885–90; <Latin recidīv(us) relapsing (recid(ere) to fall back (re-re- + -cidere, combining form of cadere to fall) + -īvus-ive) + -ism

Other words from recidivism

  • re·cid·i·vist, noun, adjective
  • re·cid·i·vis·tic, re·cid·i·vous, adjective

Words Nearby recidivism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use recidivism in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for recidivism

recidivism

/ (rɪˈsɪdɪˌvɪzəm) /


noun
  1. habitual relapse into crime

Origin of recidivism

1
C19: from Latin recidīvus falling back, from re- + cadere to fall

Derived forms of recidivism

  • recidivist, noun, adjective
  • recidivistic or recidivous, adjective

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