restitute

Restitute is a verb meaning to restore something to its rightful owner or to its original state. It is transitive and commonly used with objects such as property or goods, often followed by the recipient indicated with to, as in restitute to the rightful owner. The term appears most often in formal, legal, or historical contexts.

Etymology and related terms: Restitute derives from Latin restituere, meaning to set back or restore, through Old French restituer. The noun form restitution denotes the act or result of restoring something or making amends. Restitution is closely related and is the more common term in modern usage for a court-ordered remedy that returns property or compensates a loss.

Usage and note: In contemporary English, restitute is relatively rare and can be considered archaic or highly formal. More common verbs for everyday use include return, restore, or make restitution. In legal writing, restitution is the standard term for a remedy that requires the offender to return property or pay compensation to the injured party, while restitute may appear in more literary or ceremonial contexts.

Forms and examples: The verb takes typical inflections: restitutes, restituting, restituted. Example uses include: The court ordered the defendant to restitute the stolen goods to their rightful owner. The auditor required the organization to restitute funds that were improperly allocated.

See also: restitution, restoration.