Reenlistment

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of voluntarily signing up again for military service after completing a previous term; the process whereby a service member commits to extend their time in duty; a renewed enlistment following an initial period of service
2. The procedure of rejoining the armed forces by choosing to continue service beyond the original contract; a repeated agreement to serve in the military after prior discharge; a subsequent enlistment after completing an initial obligation
3. The decision to re-enter military duty by voluntarily committing to another term; a formal continuation of military service beyond the first enlistment; renewing a commitment to serve after an earlier period in the armed forces

Etymology: The word "reenlistment" is a simple combination of two existing English pieces: the prefix "re-", meaning "again," attached to "enlistment," the act of signing up for military service. Its history therefore runs through "enlistment" before it ever reaches the prefix. "Enlistment" traces back to the Old English "līste," meaning a list, which came into Middle English as "līst" and then English "list." The verb "enlist" was formed by attaching the Latin-derived prefix "en-," meaning "in," to that noun, so that to enlist was literally to put a person on a list. The "-ment" ending, borrowed through Old French from Latin "-mentum," turns the verb into a noun naming the act or result of enlisting. The prefix "re-" comes from Latin, where it meant "back" or "again," passing into English through Old French. Adding it to "enlistment" yields a term for signing up again after a prior period of service. The word is a transparent formation, so its meaning follows directly from the parts.

Synonyms: re-enlistment, reenrolling, rejoining, reenlisting

Antonyms: discharge, separation, resignation, retirement