Recommencing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To take up again an endeavor that was previously suspended or stopped halfway To initiate a course of action once more following a break or cessation To resume a procedure or event that had been paused for a period of time
2. To begin an activity or process again after it had been stopped temporarily
3. To restart something that was halted, picking up from where it left off

Etymology: "Recommencing" is the present participle of "recommence," which came into English from Middle French "recommencer," itself descended from Old French "recommencier." The base verb "commence" arrived in English from Old French centuries earlier, and "re-" is the familiar prefix meaning "again," so the whole word simply means beginning once more. The "re-" prefix and "commence" are both productive in French and English, which is why the pair feels so natural. The verb "commence" traces back through Old French to Latin roots meaning "to begin," and the French form kept that sense intact while English absorbed the compound along with many other French verbs.

Synonyms: starting, resuming, restarting, beginning, renewing

Antonyms: ceasing, ending, terminating, finishing, concluding