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• reunion
  reunion

  noun

  the act of uniting again.
• Réunion
  Réunion

  noun

  an island in the Indian Ocean, E of Madagascar: an overseas department of France. 970 sq. mi. (2,512 sq. km). St. Denis.

reunion

¹ American  

[ree-yoon-yuhn] / riˈjun jən /

noun

reunions plural

1. the act of uniting again.

2. the state of being united again.

3. a gathering of relatives, friends, or associates at regular intervals or after separation.

   The alumnae parade is a cherished tradition at my college reunion.

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Réunion ² American  

[ree-yoon-yuhn, rey-y-nyawn] / riˈjun jən, reɪ üˈnjɔ̃ /

noun

1. an island in the Indian Ocean, E of Madagascar: an overseas department of France. 970 sq. mi. (2,512 sq. km). St. Denis.

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reunion ¹ British  

/ riːˈjuːnjən /

noun

1. the act or process of coming together again

2. the state or condition of having been brought together again

3. a gathering of relatives, friends, or former associates

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Réunion ² British  

/ reynjɔ̃, riːˈjuːnjən /

noun

1. an island in the Indian Ocean, in the Mascarene Islands: an overseas region of France, having been in French possession since 1642. A number of far-flung and uninhabited islands, some located on the opposite side of Madagascar, were also politically part of Réunion until 2007, when they were transferred to the French Southern and Antarctic Territories. Capital: Saint-Denis. Pop: 767 000 (2004 est). Area: 2510 sq km (970 sq miles)

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• reunions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of reunion

First recorded in 1600–10; re- + union

Explanation

A reunion usually refers to a gathering of folks who haven't seen each other for a long time. High school reunions are notorious for reuniting middle aged people who are anxious to relive their high school years. Since a union is a state of togetherness — like a marriage — a reunion is when people get back together after some sort of separation. This could refer to a political reunification — like the reunion of East and West Germany as one nation — but it's usually smaller in scale. At high school and college reunions, people see friends they haven’t seen for years. A reunion doesn't have to be so official. Seeing any friend after an absence is a reunion.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

reunion Réunion reunions

In Homer’s poem, the long-awaited reunion between Odysseus and Telemachus is a quiet, intimate affair.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

“I kept saying, no, it’s just not right,” she said during a 2000 reunion for the show.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

Back in Washington, D.C., the atmosphere feels less like a presidential production and more like a national family reunion.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

But since then he has done exactly that, many times and to great effect for adoring fans around the world throughout the band's big-selling reunion tour last year.

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

I think it was unfair not to show the reunion.

From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman

The research team tested the method for ten years at a volcanological observatory on the island of La Réunion.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 15, 2026

By July of that year, it had leaped all the way to Réunion Island in the western Indian Ocean.

From Science Magazine ● May 28, 2024

But in the mid 19th century, a slave on the Indian Ocean island of Réunion discovered how to efficiently hand-pollinate vanilla.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 5, 2024

Authorities in Réunion had raised the storm alert level to violet, the highest level, as the cyclone approached the island.

From BBC ● Jan. 15, 2024

As in the 1860 cyclone on Réunion Island, the barometer fell to 710 millimeters.

From Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Walter, F. P.

‘There are probably countless weddings, funerals, reunions, weekend getaways and, yes — long distance relationships — that Spirit enabled’ with its flights under $100.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026

Mullan and Kapoor closed the news conference by teasing a pair of reunions featuring cast members from “Bridesmaids” and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2026

It seems he'd decided to play one final power game, so the family reunions, so long awaited, would be delayed.

From BBC ● Dec. 14, 2025

Family reunions are also subject to strict requirements, including a minimum age for both parents, language tests and guarantees of funds.

From Barron's ● Nov. 15, 2025

Through a posting on a school librarians’ Web site she sought out family reunions, where she imagined she would encounter interesting frictions between prosperous siblings and relatives still mired at the bottom.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

Related Words

• homecoming
• reconciliation