reprise

Where does the word "reprise" come from? It comes from Latin reprehendere, passing through Old French before entering English (1680s-1965).

Reprise’s story begins in Latin: reprehendere meant “to seize, take back; restrain.” Re- 'back' plus prehendere 'to seize'. By 1200s, the word had taken hold in Old French as reprendre. Kept the sense of taking something back up again. By 1200s, Old French speakers had reshaped it into reprise. The feminine past participle named the act of resuming. It reached English by 1680s-1965 as reprise. Entered for the resumption of an action, later specializing to a repeated musical or theatrical performance. Today, reprise means a repeated performance of a piece of music or a role.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient reprehendere "to seize, take back; restrain", re- 'back' plus prehendere 'to seize'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · 1200s reprendre "to take back, begin again", kept the sense of taking something back up again.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · 1200s reprise "an act of taking back; resumption", the feminine past participle named the act of resuming.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1680s-1965 reprise "a repeated performance of a piece or role", entered for the resumption of an action, later specializing to a repeated musical or theatrical performance.