Reassertions

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of stating or affirming something again in order to emphasize or clarify a point
2. A repeated assertion aimed at reinforcing a previously made claim or belief
3. The process of declaring or affirming once more to strengthen an argument or position

Etymology: Roman law gives the root of this word a surprisingly physical sense. The Latin verb "asserere" meant to lay hold of something and claim it as one's own. In legal settings it could mean claiming a person as free rather than enslaved, a procedure known as "assertio in libertatem." The verb was built from "ad," meaning "to," and "serere," meaning "to join or bind," so the original image is of binding something to yourself. English inherited that sense of firm claiming through "assert" and "assertion," which came to mean stating something with confidence and standing behind it. "Reassertion" adds the prefix "re-," meaning "again" or "back," to the noun "assertion," and the plural ending makes it countable. The result names the act of making such a claim a second time, which is why it suits a restated position meant to bolster an argument.

Synonyms: reaffirmations, reiterations, restatements