Recuperate

Recuperate

Verb · /rɪˈkuːpəreɪt/ · to recover health, strength, or a loss; to return to a normal state after illness or exertion

Definition

To recuperate means to recover — to regain health after illness, strength after effort, or resources after depletion. A patient recuperates after surgery. An athlete recuperates between intense training sessions. A business recuperates after a difficult quarter. The word implies a gradual process of restoration, not an instant return, and it carries a sense of active recovery rather than passive waiting.

Origin

From Latin recuperare — to recover, to regain. The root capere means to take, and re- means back. So to recuperate is literally to take back what was lost. The same root gives us recapture and recover. The word entered English in the 16th century and has been used in medical, financial, and general contexts ever since.