Reform

Reform

Verb & Noun · /rɪˈfɔːm/ · to make changes to improve a system, organisation, or practice; the act of doing so

Definition

To reform means to change something that is flawed or outdated — to make it better, fairer, or more effective. As a verb, you reform a law, a tax system, a prison, an institution. As a noun, reform is the change itself: electoral reform, economic reform, educational reform. The word does not imply minor tweaks; it implies a meaningful restructuring aimed at improvement.

Origin

From Latin reformare — re- (again) + formare (to form, to shape). To reform is literally to re-shape. The word entered English in the 14th century, originally in the religious sense — the Protestant Reformation was the great reforming of the Church. From there it spread to political and social contexts, and now applies to any domain where a structure needs to be dismantled and rebuilt better.