Reaccustom

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To facilitate the process of becoming accustomed again to a certain practice or environment
2. To aid an individual in readopting a previous routine or set of habits
3. To help someone regain familiarity with a habit, environment, or way of doing things after a period of change

Etymology: "Reaccustom" is a straightforward formation: the prefix "re-", meaning "again" or "back", attached to "accustom." The base word "accustom" comes from Anglo-French "acustumer," which combined "a-" (to) with "custume," meaning custom or habit, and that in turn traces back through Old French to Latin "consuetudo," the source of "custom" itself. So "accustom" means to make someone familiar with a habit or practice, and adding "re-" gives the sense of bringing someone back into that familiarity after a break. The result is a verb meaning to help someone become used to something again, most often after an interruption such as an illness, a long absence or a change of routine. Its structure is transparent enough that speakers can build it on the spot, which is why it appears in everyday language about returning to work, travel or old habits rather than in formal coinage.

Synonyms: retrain, recondition

Antonyms: unaccustom, disaccustom