re-education
UK[ˌriːˌedʒʊˈkeɪʃən]US[ˌriːˌedʒəˈkeɪʃən]
n
The process of teaching someone to think or behave in a new or different way, often as part of a political or ideological program.
Morpheme Breakdown
re
education
re
again
education
teaching
Etymology
The term is a modern compound, built directly from the established English word 'education' with the productive prefix 're-'. The prefix 're-' originates from Latin, where it was a highly versatile particle denoting backward motion or repetition. 'Education' stems from the Latin educare, meaning to rear or bring up, which itself is derived from e- (out) and ducere (to lead), conveying the idea of "leading out" one's innate potential. In the 20th century, these elements were combined to form 're-education', a term whose literal meaning of "teaching again" or "leading out anew" took on a specific, often politicized sense of systematic retraining to alter fundamental beliefs or behaviors, reflecting a process of ideological reshaping.
Analysis
Structure: re (again) + education (teaching)
- re: A Latin prefix meaning "again" or "back." It functions as an intensifier indicating repetition or restoration.
- education: From Latin educatio (a rearing, training), itself from educare (to bring up, rear, educate). It functions as the core noun denoting the process of teaching or learning.
Examples
The prisoners were subjected to a period of political re-education.
The program focuses on the re-education of offenders before their reintegration into society.
Some view the new corporate training as a form of cultural re-education.