revanchism

re·vanche  (r-vänch, -väsh)

n.

1. The act of retaliating; revenge.

2. A usually political policy, as of a nation or an ethnic group, intended to regain lost territory or standing.

---

[French, from Old French revancher, to revenge : re-, re- + vengier, vencher, to avenge; see revenge.]

---

re·vanchism (-vänchz-m, -väshz-) n.

re·vanchist adj. & n.

re·vanch·istic adj.

---

revanchism

the action taken and the policies followed by a government determined to recover a lost territory. — revanche, n. — revanchist, n., adj.

See also: Government