relapse

relapse definition - medical

re·lapse (rĭ-lăpsˈ)

verb
  1. To regress after partial recovery from illness.
  2. To slip back into bad ways; backslide.
  3. To fall or slide back into a former state.
noun (rēˈlăps, rĭ-lăpsˈ)
A falling back into a former state, especially the return of symptoms following an apparent recovery. Also called recurrence.

The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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