recrudescere

Recrudescere is a Latin verb meaning to become raw again or to break out anew; it is used to describe the reappearance or resurgence of symptoms, diseases, or conditions after a period of improvement or remission. In classical Latin texts it could refer to fever that returns, phenomena that reassert themselves after dormancy, or other renewals of activity. In English, the related noun recrudescence and the adjective recrudescent derive from the same root and are used to convey a similar sense.

Etymology and forms: The term comes from the prefix re- meaning "again" and crudescere, from crudus meaning "raw, rough." In English, recrudescence is the standard noun; recrudesce is a rarer verb form; recrudescent is the corresponding adjective. The Latin verb itself appears primarily in scholarly texts on medicine or natural history; in modern English, speakers typically use recrudescence or recrudescent when referring to disease activity, outbreaks, or conflicts that resurface.

Usage: Recrudescence is commonly used in medical contexts to denote the return of symptoms after a remission, such as fever or infectious symptoms. Beyond medicine, it can describe the resurgence of violence, passions, or other phenomena after a period of quiet.

See also: recrudescence, recrudescent, recrudesce.