recair

Recair is a Portuguese verb that means to fall again or to relapse into a previous state after a period of improvement. It is commonly used in medical, psychological, and social or economic contexts to describe a return to illness, addictive behavior, or worse conditions after a temporary recovery or stabilization.

Etymology and form: The verb is formed with the prefix re- attached to cair (to fall). It follows the usual conjugation pattern of regular -ir verbs, while retaining the semantic sense of repetition or return. In practice, recair is used in both formal and informal registers to describe a renewed decline or relapse.

Usage and context: In healthcare, recair is used when a patient recovers and then returns to illness. In addiction contexts, it describes relapse into substance use after a period of abstinence. In economic or social discussions, recair can describe a resurgence of negative conditions, such as a market downturn or a reversion to prior difficulties after a stabilization period. The noun recaída (relapse) is often used to denote the act or instance of relapsing.

Related terms: The related noun recaída is the common way to refer to relapse itself. Other related expressions include voltar a cair (to fall again) or retornar ao estado anterior. Recair is generally understood across Portuguese-speaking regions and tends to appear in reporting, clinical notes, and analyses discussing changes in status over time.