rescript
noun
re·script
ˈrē-ˌskript 
1
: a written answer of a Roman emperor or of a pope to a legal inquiry or petition
2
: an official or authoritative order, decree, edict, or announcement
3
: an act or instance of rewriting
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When Should You Use rescript?
Rescript was first used in the 15th century for the written reply of a sovereign or pope to a question about some matter of law or state, and then for any type of authoritative declaration. Since the 19th century, however, it has also seen use as a synonym of rewrite. Charlotte Brontë, for one, used the word this way in her novel Villette. "I wrote [the letter] three times ... subduing the phrases at every rescript," her narrator confesses.
Examples of rescript in a Sentence
even though there was never an official rescript ordering mass genocide, that was indeed the intent and effect of the government's policy
Recent Examples on the Web
The rescript—an authoritative message from an emperor—was rediscovered in the 1700s and is now on display in Spello’s town hall, reports Newsweek’s Aristos Georgiou.
—
Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024
Soon, Duke writes, the rescript became associated with Japanese nationalism, a reverence for a divine emperor and a strict educational system.
—Erin Blakemore, Smithsonian, 10 Apr. 2017
At the time, the rescript served an important purpose.
—Erin Blakemore, Smithsonian, 10 Apr. 2017
At the time, the rescript served an important purpose.
—Erin Blakemore, Smithsonian, 10 Apr. 2017
Soon, Duke writes, the rescript became associated with Japanese nationalism, a reverence for a divine emperor and a strict educational system.
—Erin Blakemore, Smithsonian, 10 Apr. 2017
Conservatives see the rescript as a paean to traditional values; liberals as a throwback to a more authoritarian era.
—Jonathan Soble, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2017
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024
Soon, Duke writes, the rescript became associated with Japanese nationalism, a reverence for a divine emperor and a strict educational system.
—Erin Blakemore, Smithsonian, 10 Apr. 2017
At the time, the rescript served an important purpose.
—Erin Blakemore, Smithsonian, 10 Apr. 2017
At the time, the rescript served an important purpose.
—Erin Blakemore, Smithsonian, 10 Apr. 2017
Soon, Duke writes, the rescript became associated with Japanese nationalism, a reverence for a divine emperor and a strict educational system.
—Erin Blakemore, Smithsonian, 10 Apr. 2017
Conservatives see the rescript as a paean to traditional values; liberals as a throwback to a more authoritarian era.
—Jonathan Soble, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Rescript.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rescript. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
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