Reaccustoming

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The process of helping an individual regain familiarity with a previous habit or environment after a transition
2. The act of helping someone become used to a situation or routine again after a change
3. A process by which a person is reintroduced to and becomes comfortable with a previous setting or habit

Etymology: "Reaccustoming" is the present participle of "reaccustom," which means to get used to something again after a break. It is built from the prefix "re-," meaning again, attached to "accustom." The base word "accustom" is itself formed from "a-" and "custom," so the whole chain runs back to the old English-derived notion of a custom, a habit or practice that a person settles into over time. Because the prefix is simply added to an existing verb, the formation is straightforward: "reaccustom" restores the older state of habituation, and the "-ing" ending turns it into a participle or gerund describing that ongoing process. Nothing about the word's history is unusual, so its interest lies mainly in how transparently its parts combine.

Synonyms: retraining, reconditioning