ree-kuh-PICH-uh-layt
Definition
(verb) To summarize or restate the main points of something.
Example
Before concluding her lecture, the professor recapitulated the key themes to ensure everyone understood the core ideas.
Word Origin
From Latin recapitulare, meaning “to restate by chapter” (re- “again” + capitulum “chapter, heading”).
Fun Fact
In biology, recapitulate has a fascinating secondary use: the biogenetic law once proposed that an organism’s development “recapitulates” its evolutionary history. While this idea has since been refined, it gave rise to a lasting metaphor—how patterns in growth, learning, or even storytelling often mirror earlier stages. Whether in life or conversation, to recapitulate is to return to the beginning, tying threads together to make meaning clear.