Recant definition

rĭ-kănt

Words form:

Frequency:

To withdraw or renounce (beliefs or statements formerly held), esp. in a formal or public manner.

verb

To recant is to publicly take back something you said or to state that you no longer believe something in which you once believed.

When you say that you no longer hold the religious beliefs you did in the past, this is an example of a situation where you recant.

verb

(intransitive) To withdraw or repudiate a statement or opinion formerly expressed, especially formally and publicly.

Convince me that I am wrong, and I will recant.

verb

To make a formal retraction or disavowal of a previously held statement or belief.

verb

To make a formal retraction or disavowal of (a statement or belief to which one has previously committed oneself).

verb

Origin of recant

Latin recantāre re- re- cantāre to sing frequentative of canere kan- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
First attested in 1535, from Latin recantare, present active infinitive of recanto (“to sing back, reecho, sing again, repeat in singing, recant, recall, revoke, charm back or away"), from re- (“back") + canto (“to chant, to sing"), frequentative of cano.

From Wiktionary