What does reappearance mean?
Reappearance is a formal noun meaning the act of returning or becoming visible again after an absence. It is commonly used for symptoms, people, objects, controversies, and other matters that had previously disappeared or gone out of view. The word can be neutral, as in the reappearance of a familiar design, or mildly negative, as in the reappearance of an old problem or disease. In medical contexts, it often means that a condition has returned after a period of improvement. Compared with return, reappearance is somewhat more formal and emphasizes the earlier absence. It is also useful when describing something becoming present again without implying that it never stopped existing. The related verb is reappear, and the plural is reappearances.
nounThe act of appearing again after having been absent, hidden, or no longer present. It can refer to a person, thing, symptom, or issue that returns.
- The act of appearing or becoming visible again after an absence.
"The reappearance of the symptoms prompted her to contact her doctor."
"The lake's reappearance after the drought surprised nearby residents."
"Her reappearance in public was widely reported after several quiet years."
The plural is used for separate instances or occurrences of something returning.
"The novel chronicles the successive reappearances of a long-lost brother."
Reappearance captures the unsettling moment when something you thought was gone returns.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does reappearance come from?
The word is formed from the prefix re-, meaning “again,” and appearance, which comes from the Latin apparere, “to appear” or “to become visible.” The combination reappearance developed in English during the early 19th century in the sense of appearing again. Its cognates include appear, appearance, disappear, and disappearance, all of which share the Latin root apparere.
Related word forms
How reappearance is actually used
Neutral in tone, though it can suggest either a harmless return or an unwelcome recurrence. It is often used with medical symptoms, public figures, issues, and previously seen things.
Easily confused with reappearance
A reappearance is a coming back into view or existence, whereas a disappearance is a going out of sight or existence.