revert

Revert is a verb meaning to return something to a previous state, condition, or form. It is often used when an alteration is undone or reversed. The term comes from Latin revertere, meaning to turn back.

In everyday use, to revert can describe objects, processes, or ideas that go back to an earlier version after a change. For example, a system may revert to a baseline configuration following a faulty update, or a person’s symptoms may revert to baseline after treatment.

In computing and software development, revert commonly appears as a command or operation to undo changes. In Git, git revert creates a new commit that reverses the effects of a previous one, preserving history. This differs from git reset, which moves the branch pointer backward and can alter history. Other version control systems likewise provide a revert operation to discard edits or restore a prior version.

In property law, revert (or reversion) refers to the future return of property to the grantor or to a designated person after the expiration of a lease or life estate. The reverter holds a future interest in the property.