relapse
UK[rɪˈlæps]US[ˈriːlæps, rɪˈlæps]
v
to become ill or start behaving badly again, after making an improvement
n
the return of an illness or a bad condition after a period of improvement
Morpheme Breakdown
re
lapse
re
again
lapse
slip
Etymology
The word 'relapse' has a clear and logical construction from its Latin components. It originates from the Latin verb relabi, meaning 'to slip back' or 'to slide back', which itself is formed from re- ('back') and labi ('to slip' or 'to fall'). This literal sense of slipping back physically was metaphorically extended in Late Latin relapsus to describe a return to illness or sin. Entering English in the 15th century, it has consistently retained this core concept of a backward slide, specifically applied to the deterioration of health or behavior after a period of recovery or improvement.
Analysis
Structure: re (again) + lapse (slip)
re- (Latin prefix meaning 'again' or 'back'), lapse (from Latin lapsus, meaning 'a slip or fall')
Examples
He managed to quit smoking for three months but then relapsed.
The patient suffered a relapse and was readmitted to the hospital.
Preventing a relapse into poverty requires long-term support systems.