September 16, 2011
- recapitulate (verb)
- \ree-kuh-PICH-uh-layt\

- What does it mean?
- : to give a brief summary : summarize
- How do you use it?
- "Your homework assignment is to recapitulate the main events in the story," Mr. Jackson told us.
- Are you a word wiz?
"Recapitulate" stems from the Latin word "capitulum." What do you think "capitulum" means?
In summary, C is the right answer! "Recapitulate" is ultimately derived from the Latin prefix "re-," meaning "again," and "capitulum," meaning "chapter." "Capitulum" itself comes from the Latin word "caput," meaning "head," and was used in the Middle Ages for the divisions in a book, usually marked with a different heading for each chapter. "Capitulum" has given English "recapitulate," "capitulate" (meaning "to negotiate" or "to agree to"), and, naturally, "chapter."

