abreact

transitive verb

ab·​re·​act ¦a-brē-¦akt 

-ed/-ing/-s

: to release or express (an emotion previously repressed or forgotten)

abreact his resentment over a childhood slight

Word History

Etymology

part translation of German abreagieren, from ab "down, from" (going back to Old High German aba) + reagieren "to react," borrowed from French réagir, borrowed (with adaptation to agir "to act, take effect") from New Latin reagere

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined above

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Rhymes for abreact

• artefact
• artifact
• counteract
• inexact
• interact
• noncontact
• reenact
• subcontract
• abstract
• attacked
• attract
• contact