buh-SEECH
She beseeched her friend to forgive her after the argument.
Fun Fact
Used as far back as the Middle Ages, “beseech” carries a tone of humility and desperation. In Shakespeare’s plays, characters often beseech gods, kings, and loved ones, emphasizing their helplessness or sincerity. Today, the word still conveys a depth of feeling beyond a simple “please.”
ree-kuh-PICH-uh-layt
(verb) To summarize or restate the main points of something.
Before concluding her lecture, the professor recapitulated the key themes to ensure everyone understood the core ideas.
From Latin recapitulare, meaning “to restate by chapter” (re- “again” + capitulum “chapter, heading”).
Fun Fact
In biology, recapitulate has a fascinating secondary use: the biogenetic law once proposed that an organism’s development “recapitulates” its evolutionary history. While this idea has since been refined, it gave rise to a lasting metaphor—how patterns in growth, learning, or even storytelling often mirror earlier stages. Whether in life or conversation, to recapitulate is to return to the beginning, tying threads together to make meaning clear.
Today's Word Recapitulate ree-kuh-PICH-uh-layt Definition (verb) To summarize or restate...
Read MoreToday's Word Malapropism mal-uh-PROP-iz-um Definition (noun) The mistaken use of...
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