renaît

Renaît is the third-person singular present indicative form of the French verb renaître. Renaître means to be born again, to arise anew, to revive, or to reappear. It is used in literal senses, such as the revival of a person or organism, and in figurative senses, such as the renewal of a tradition, city, or idea.

Etymology and meaning: The verb renaître comes from Latin renasci, formed with the prefix re- meaning “again” and nasci meaning “to be born.” The sense of renewal or reemergence is central to its usage in both prose and poetry.

Conjugation: Renaître is irregular in the present tense, following a pattern related to naître. Key present-tense forms include: je renaîs, tu renaîs, il/elle renaît, nous renaissons, vous renaissez, ils/elles renaissent. The accent on the first i reflects the iotation that occurs in various tenses. The imperfect and future tenses follow the broader renaître pattern (for example, je renaissais, il renaît, nous renaissons; and je renaîtrai, tu renaîtras, il renaîtra).

Usage notes: Renaître is commonly used to describe revival after decline or death, whether of a person, a civilization, a movement, or a cultural artifact. It can also describe natural or metaphorical reappearances, such as a tradition that returns after a hiatus or a mood that reemerges.

Related terms: The related noun renaissance denotes a revival or renewed interest, as well as a historical period in Europe. The verb and its derivatives appear in both literary and journalistic contexts to convey renewal and rebirth.

See also: renaître, renaissance, rebirth.