recitation

American  

[res-i-tey-shuhn] / ˌrɛs ɪˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

• recitations
  plural

1. an act of reciting.

2. a reciting or repeating of something from memory, especially formally or publicly.

3. oral response by a pupil or pupils to a teacher on a prepared lesson.

4. a period of classroom instruction.

5. an elocutionary delivery of a piece of poetry or prose, without the text, before an audience.

6. a piece so delivered or for such delivery.

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recitation British  

/ ˌrɛsɪˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of reciting from memory, or a formal reading of verse before an audience

2. something recited

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonrecitation
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• recitations
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

recitation recitations

My recitation about the environmental ingenuity of enslaved people in the Underground Railroad was clearly jarring to many in the audience, perhaps even hostile to their understanding of Blackness.

From Salon ● Jun. 19, 2026

He also began taking Quranic recitation and Arabic lessons at Sydney’s Al-Murad Institute.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 22, 2025

Despite all the jokes, the half-ironic but half-sincere recitation of the AMC pledge of allegiance and a recent price hike, they remain loyal customers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2025

On the surface, this might seem like a straightforward recitation of the 14th Amendment’s text.

From Slate ● Jun. 17, 2025

“The kids are going to be in a recitation competition at the Islamic Center. We hoped you would help them prepare.”

From "Amina's Voice" by Hena Khan

Like his Instagram account, there are contextless videos and spoken-word recitations.

From Salon ● May 12, 2026

The nizam’s court, with its sumptuous palaces, its concubines, its rituals and recitations of poetry and music, was the chief inheritor of the archaic grandeur of the moguls.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 4, 2026

Those familiar with his campaign-rally routines will know Trump’s many recitations of “The Snake,” something he refers to as a poem but is really a song from the 1960s.

From Slate ● Jan. 21, 2026

Tadjadit became prominent for his public recitations during protests by the Hirak movement, which erupted in February 2019 and helped force the resignation of longtime president Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

From Barron's ● Nov. 11, 2025

Later a young brother and sister gave recitations, which everyone present had heard many times at winter evening entertainments in the city.

From "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin

Related Words

• monologue
• narration
• oration
• recital
• recounting
• rendering