recite

verb

re·​cite ri-ˈsīt How to pronounce recite (audio)
recited; reciting
Synonyms of recitenext

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At the end of the event, the brothers gathered everyone into a large circle, recited the Lord’s Prayer and sang the fraternity’s signature song, attendees said. Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 Mar. 2026 Those myths were conveyed through performance, sung in the great halls of the elite, recited at festivals all across the ancient world, staged at the theatre to large audiences, and displayed on wall paintings, mosaics, vases, and sculptures that adorned both sacred sanctuaries and city-states. Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 2026 Players talk more quietly, reciting insistent promises that this team isn’t that bad. Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026 Hundreds of actors sit anxiously, reciting dialogue to themselves. Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 26 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recite

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of recite was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Recite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recite. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

recite

verb
re·​cite ri-ˈsīt How to pronounce recite (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on recite

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