rearm
UK[ˌriːˈɑːm]US[ˌriˈɑːrm]
v
to supply with new or better weapons, or to obtain new weapons for yourself
v
to return to a previously held belief, principle, or policy, especially a militant one
Morpheme Breakdown
re
arm
re
again
arm
weapon
Etymology
The verb 'rearm' is a modern formation, combining the productive English prefix 're-' with the established root 'arm.' The Latin root 'arma' (implements, weapons of war) entered English via Old French 'armes,' solidifying its meaning around weaponry. The prefix 're-,' from Latin, consistently denotes repetition or restoration. Thus, the literal construction "to weapon again" logically evolved to describe the act of supplying new weapons or returning to a state of military preparedness. Its secondary, figurative sense extends this logic to the restoration of ideological or strategic positions.
Analysis
Structure: re (again) + arm (weapon)
're-' is a prefix of Latin origin meaning "again" or "back." 'arm' is a root of Latin origin (arma, meaning "tools, weapons") functioning as the core semantic element.
Examples
the treaty forbids the nation to rearm its military forces.
after the ceasefire, there were fears that the faction would secretly rearm.
the politician used the speech to rearm his arguments with fresh data.