recite

verb

re·​cite ri-ˈsīt 

recited; reciting

transitive verb

1

: to repeat from memory or read aloud publicly

2

a

: to relate in full

recites dull anecdotes

b

: to give a recital of : detail

recited a catalog of offenses

3

: to repeat or answer questions about (a lesson)

intransitive verb

1

: to repeat or read aloud something memorized or prepared

2

: to reply to a teacher's question on a lesson

reciter noun

Synonyms

• chart
• chronicle
• describe
• narrate
• recount
• rehearse
• relate
• report
• tell

Examples of recite in a Sentence

He recited the poem with great feeling.

He began to recite from the Koran.

He can easily recite all the facts about any player on the team.

Recent Examples on the Web

The result is a digital avatar of Richard III that recites a real address from his reign as king, which is currently on display at York Theatre Royal in England. —Patrick Wood, NPR, 29 Nov. 2024

In the summer of 2016, Ogburn looked on as fifty-five student physicians lifted their right hands to recite the Hippocratic oath. —Stephania Taladrid, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024

To make his point, Phoenix recited a lyric written by his late brother River, who died from a drug overdose at 23 years old in October of 1993 outside of the iconic Viper Room in Los Angeles. —Jen Juneau, People.com, 29 Oct. 2024

Lopez, whose parents are Puerto Rican, performed at President Biden’s inauguration in 2021, reciting part of the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish. —Judy Kurtz, The Hill, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, to relate, state, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French reciter, from Latin recitare to recite, from re- + citare to summon — more at cite

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

recite

verb

re·​cite ri-ˈsīt 

recited; reciting

1

: to repeat from memory or read aloud before an audience

recite a poem

2

: to tell all the details of

3

: to answer questions about a lesson

reciter noun