reverter

re·vert

 (rĭ-vûrt′)

v. re·vert·ed, re·vert·ing, re·verts

v.intr.

1.

a. To go back to a former condition, practice, subject, or belief: a meadow reverting to forest; a reformed shoplifter reverting to old habits; a speaker reverting to her opening remarks.

b. To resume using something that has been disused: had to revert to the typewriter when the computer failed.

2. Law To be returned to the former owner or to the former owner's heirs. Used of money or property.

3. Genetics To undergo reversion.

4. Chiefly South Asian To reply.

v.tr.

1. To cause to go back to a former condition, practice, subject, or belief: "The doctor was reverted to the rank of Assistant Surgeon" (George Orwell).

2. Law To return (an estate, for example) to the grantor or the grantor's heirs or successor.

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[Middle English reverten, from Old French revertir, from Vulgar Latin *revertīre, variant of Latin revertere : re-, re- + vertere, to turn; see wer- in Indo-European roots.]

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re·vert′er n.

re·vert′i·ble adj.

re·ver′tive adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.