recital

[ ri-sahyt-l ]

/ rɪˈsaɪt l /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR recital ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a musical entertainment given usually by a single performer or by a performer and one or more accompanists.

a similar entertainment in a field other than music: a dance recital.

a program or concert by dance or music students to demonstrate their achievements or progress.

an act or instance of reciting.

a formal or public delivery of something memorized.

a detailed statement.

an account, narrative, or description: He gave a recital of the things he'd been doing since we'd last seen him.

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of recital

First recorded in 1505–15; recite + -al²

Related formsre·cit·al·ist, nounnon·re·cit·al, noun, adjectivepre·re·cit·al, noun

Synonym study

7. See narrative.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for recital

She warbled and wobbled through the recital and was greeted with thunderous applause.
Dead Cool: Florence Foster Jenkins|Simon Doonan|July 10, 2010|DAILY BEAST
There is no fear, here—at least not of something as insignificant as a recital.
Alice, Bratty in Wonderland|Nicole LaPorte|February 28, 2010|DAILY BEAST
I do not propose to weary the reader by a recital of the program and a detailed account of each performance.
The Young Musician|Horatio Alger
They also put on an annual recital and one year even gave a vaudeville show.
Frying Pan Farm|Elizabeth Brown Pryor

After this recital, that the marchioness had listened to with sustained interest, there was a pause.
The Flying Horseman|Gustave Aimard
He encouraged him to go through his ailments and his grievances and was visibly distressed by the recital.
Punch or the London Charivari, October 20, 1920|Various
There was no stopping Tom in his recital, and after many attempts Barney finally gave it up, and began unhitching his horse.
The Doctor|Ralph Connor

British Dictionary definitions for recital

recital

/ (rɪˈsaɪtəl) /

noun

a musical performance by a soloist or soloistsCompare concert (def. 1)

the act of reciting or repeating something learned or prepared

an account, narration, or description

a detailed statement of facts, figures, etc

(often plural) law the preliminary statement in a deed showing the reason for its existence and leading up to and explaining the operative part

Derived Formsrecitalist, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for recital

recital

1510s, a legal term, "rehearsal or statement of relevant facts," from recite + -al. Meaning "act of reciting" is from 1610s; musical performance sense is from 1811.