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

reciprocation, reciprocity, reciprocity failure, recision, recit., recital, recitatif, recitation, recitative, recitativo, recite

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.