reprise

1 of 2

noun

re·​prise ri-ˈprēz 

 sense 3 is also  ri-ˈprīz

1

[French, from Middle French]

a

: a musical repetition:

(1)

: the repetition of the exposition preceding the development

(2)

: recapitulation sense 3

b

: a repeated performance : repetition

2

: a recurrence, renewal, or resumption of an action

3

: a deduction or charge made yearly out of a manor or estate

—usually used in plural

reprise

2 of 2

verb

re·​prise ri-ˈprīz 

 sense 1 is  ri-ˈprēz

reprised; reprising

transitive verb

1

a

: to repeat the performance of

b

: to repeat the principal points or stages of : recapitulate

2

archaic : take back

especially : to recover by force

3

archaic : compensate

Did you know?

When reprise was first adopted into English in the 15th century, it referred to a deduction or charge made yearly out of a manor or estate (and was usually used in the plural form reprises). It probably won't surprise you, then, to learn that reprise comes from an Anglo-French word meaning "seizure, repossession, or expense." Eventually, reprise came to refer to any action that was repeated or resumed. A later sense, borrowed from modern French, applies to specific types of repetition in musical compositions. That sense was eventually generalized to describe any subsequent and identical performance. It's possible, for example, to have a reprise of a television program or a book.

Synonyms

Noun

• duplication
• iteration
• redo
• reduplication
• reiteration
• renewal
• repeat
• repetition
• replay
• replication

Verb

• abstract
• boil down
• brief
• digest
• encapsulate
• epitomize
• outline
• recap
• recapitulate
• sum up
• summarize
• synopsize
• wrap up

Examples of reprise in a Sentence

Noun

They ended their performance with a reprise of the opening number.

The team is hoping to avoid a reprise of last year's defeat.

Verb

He will reprise his role in the play.

the prosecutor's closing statement effectively reprised the case against the defendant

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But Congress has no stomach for a reprise of the landmark intelligence hearings conducted in 1975 by the Senate Select Committee to Study Government Operations With Respect to Intelligence Activities headed by Chairman Frank Church. —Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 7 July 2024

Unfortunately, the Mahomes family did not get to witness Travis Kelce's surprise performance in London last month, but there's always a chance for a reprise. —Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 5 July 2024

Verb

The lawsuit, filed last November, reprised an earlier one that ended with a 2015 agreement by the VA to build 1,200 units of housing on the campus, with a commitment to complete more than 770 units by the end of 2022. —Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2024

Both Montana Jordan and Emily Osment are returning to reprise their roles from Young Sheldon, as young parents Georgie Cooper and Mandy McAllister respectively. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 15 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, seizure, repossession, expense, from feminine past participle of reprendre to take back, from re- + prendre to take, from Latin prehendere

Verb

Middle English, from Middle French repris, past participle of reprendre

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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