Reanalysis

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of reviewing and interpreting previously analyzed information can yield fresh perspectives or findings about the subject matter
2. Revisiting data to analyze it again may provide alternative interpretations and enhance understanding of original results
3. The process of conducting a second examination of analyzed data can uncover new insights and refine the original interpretations drawn from it

Etymology: "Reanalysis" is a plain formation: the prefix "re-", meaning "again" or "back", attached to "analysis." The base word goes back to ancient Greek "analusis," from "analuein," meaning "to unloosen" or "to undo," built from "ana-" ("up" or "back") and "luein" ("to loosen"). Medieval Latin took it up as "analysis," and English adopted it from there, so a reanalysis is literally an unloosing done a second time. The "re-" is the part that carries the modern sense. Analysis breaks a subject into its parts to examine them, and reanalysis means breaking it down again, usually because the first pass left something unresolved or because new evidence has come to light. The word is a clear example of how English builds new terms from existing pieces, since "re-" attaches freely to many verbs and nouns.

Synonyms: reinterpretation, review, reassessment, reexamination, reconsideration