Redistribution

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌɹiːdɪstɹəˈbjuːʃən/

Definitions

1. The act of dividing and allocating resources, wealth, or property again among different people or groups, often to achieve greater fairness or equality
2. The process of reallocating wealth, resources, or properties among various groups in order to foster equality and fairness in society
3. The action of reassigning resources, wealth, or property to different groups to promote a more equitable distribution among society

Etymology: "Redistribution" is a plain compound: the prefix "re-", meaning "again" or "back," attached to "distribution," which comes from Latin "distributio," a noun from "distribuere," to divide up and allot. English has "re-" from Latin "re-" and the word "distribution" passed into English through Old French, so the new word is simply a fresh assembly of two long-established parts. The sense of the whole is transparent: to distribute something a second time, or to distribute it differently from how it was first divided. That second sense is the one that matters in its political use, where the resources are moved from one set of hands to another rather than merely handed out again. The compound is therefore less a discovery than a predictable combination, and its meaning follows directly from the parts.

Synonyms: reallocation, redistributing, dispersal, reassignment, reorganization