recessional
UK[rɪˈsɛʃən(ə)l]US[rɪˈsɛʃən(ə)l]
adj
relating to or characteristic of a recession, especially an economic recession.
adj
sung or played while the clergy and choir withdraw after a church service.
n
a hymn sung while the clergy and choir leave the church at the end of a service.
Morpheme Breakdown
recess
ion
al
recess
withdraw
ion
noun suffix
al
adjective suffix
Etymology
the word 'recessional' is built upon the core latin verb 'recedere', meaning 'to go back' or 'to withdraw'. the noun-forming suffix '-ion' was added to create 'recession', denoting the act or state of withdrawing. the final adjectival suffix '-al' then attaches to form a word meaning 'pertaining to a withdrawal'. this literal sense of withdrawal is preserved in the ecclesiastical context of a hymn sung during the clergy's withdrawal from the church. over time, the term was metaphorically extended, most notably in economics, to describe a period of withdrawal or contraction in business activity, solidifying its modern abstract meaning.
Analysis
Structure: recess (withdraw) + ion (noun suffix) + al (adjective suffix)
recess: from latin 'recessus' (a going back, retreat), from 'recedere' ('re-' meaning 'back' + 'cedere' meaning 'to go'). functions as the core root.
ion: a latin-derived suffix forming nouns of action or state.
al: a latin-derived suffix forming adjectives meaning 'of or pertaining to'.
Examples
the government introduced new policies to combat the recessional trends in the economy.
the choir began the beautiful recessional hymn as the procession moved down the aisle.
his latest book analyzes the recessional phases of several historical empires.