Definition of RECIDIVIST

recidivist

Meanings

Plural: recidivists

Noun

  • someone who is repeatedly arrested for criminal behavior (especially for the same criminal behavior)
  • someone who lapses into previous undesirable patterns of behavior
  • One who falls back into prior habits, especially criminal habits.

Adj

  • Tending to fall back into prior habits, especially criminal habits.

Origin / Etymology

From French récidiviste, from Latin recidīvus (“returning, recurring”). Compare recidivous, -ist. By surface analysis, recidive + -ist.

Synonyms

backslider, habitual criminal, recidive, recidivous, repeat offender, repeater, reversionist

Scrabble Score: 16

recidivist is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
recidivist is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
recidivist is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 18

recidivist is a valid Words With Friends word