Relapse Definition
rĭ-lăps
relapsed, relapses, relapsing
verb
relapsed, relapses, relapsing
To return to a former state.
American Heritage Medicine
To become sicker after partial recovery from an illness.
American Heritage Medicine
To slip or fall back into a former condition, esp. after improvement or seeming improvement.
Webster's New World
To recur. Used of an illness.
American Heritage Medicine
Synonyms:
noun
relapses
The act or an instance of relapsing.
Webster's New World
The recurrence of a disease after apparent improvement.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
Origin of Relapse
Middle English relapsen to forswear from Latin relābī relāps- to fall back gradually re- re- lābī to slide
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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From Latin relapsus, past participle of relabi (“to slide back, fall back"), from re- (“back") + labi (“to slip, slide, fall").
From Wiktionary
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