Reroute

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ɹiːˈɹuːt/

Definitions

1. To alter the intended path or course of travel, communication, or delivery methods for improved navigation or safety
2. To change the designated route of transportation, information flow, or logistics to achieve better outcomes or avoid obstacles
3. To direct travel, communication, or shipments along a different route than originally planned for efficiency or problem avoidance

Etymology: The verb "reroute" is a simple formation: the prefix "re-", meaning "again" or "back", attached to "route." The second part carries the older history. "Route" came into English from Old French "route," which in turn descends from Latin "rupta," the feminine form of "ruptus," meaning "broken." The sense was of a road that had been broken open or cut through terrain, so a route was originally a way forged across ground rather than simply a path. The prefix has a longer lineage of its own. "Re-" traces back through Latin "re-" to an ancient Italic root, and English has used it freely since the Middle Ages to mean repetition or reversal. Attaching it to "route" was a natural extension: once a route existed, it could be made again in a different direction. "Reroute" is a plain compound with no dramatic story behind it. Its meaning is literal: to send something, such as traffic, cargo or a call, along a different course than the one originally planned.

Synonyms: redirect, detour, rechannel, change course, shift

Antonyms: maintain course, stay, keep, follow, adhere