rendition

noun

ren·di·tion | \ ren-ˈdi-shən

Definition of rendition

: the act or result of rendering something: such as

a : surrender

b : translation

c : performance, interpretation

Did You Know?

Rendition entered English in the early 17th century and can be traced to the Middle French word reddition and ultimately to the Latin verb reddere, meaning "to return." The English verb "render" is another descendant of "reddere," so perhaps it is no surprise that "rendition" fundamentally means "the act or result of rendering." English speakers also once adopted "reddition" itself (meaning either "restitution, surrender" or "elucidation"), but that word has mostly dropped out of use. Incidentally, if you've guessed that "surrender" is also from the same word family, you may be right; surrender derives in part from the Anglo-French rendre, which likely influenced the alteration of "reddition" to "rendition."

Examples of rendition in a Sentence

a moving rendition of an old gospel song a new rendition of the text in English

Recent Examples on the Web

Since then, the show continues to be performed all around the world in professional productions and high school renditions alike. — Tamara Fuentes, Seventeen, "Everything You Need to Know About the "West Side Story" Remake," 17 Apr. 2019 These renditions run the gamut in terms of style and execution. — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "Tiffany Young Had Such Good Reactions to Fans Covering Her Songs," 5 Apr. 2019 The report cited a range of other human-rights issues in Saudi Arabia, including executions for nonviolent offenses, forced renditions and disappearances, torture of prisoners and a lack of civil and religious rights. ... — Courtney Mcbride, WSJ, "State Department Rights Report Blames Saudis in Death of Khashoggi," 13 Mar. 2019 Right away, Paula, Randy, and Kara were impressed with Adam's rendition of the rock ballad. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "The Untold Story of 'American Idol' Star Adam Lambert's Queen Audition 10 Years Ago," 29 Apr. 2019 The 2005 Humming Urban Stereo hit got a remake in the form of a sweet rendition from the two vocalists. — Tamar Herman, Billboard, "5 Highlights From the Second Night of KCON 2018 NY," 25 June 2018 The cases shed light on the murky and once-hidden world of the C.I.A.’s rendition, detention and interrogation program. — Alan Cowell, New York Times, "Lithuania and Romania Complicit in C.I.A. Prisons, European Court Says," 31 May 2018 The purpose of my rendition was to honor the spirit of the video which absolutely moved me, by adding my and many women’s life experiences and truths to the brave and brutal truths expressed in the original. — Mariah Haas, PEOPLE.com, "YouTube Star Nicole Arbour Slammed For Her 'Women's Edit' of Childish Gambino's 'This Is America'," 15 May 2018 Kristen Wiig's rendition of Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones? — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "People Are Losing It Over This Woman Using a Fake Accent on The Bachelor," 4 Jan. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rendition.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.