What does rehearing mean?
A rehearing is either the act of hearing something again or, more commonly in legal contexts, a further hearing of a case. When a court grants a rehearing, it has determined that the original proceeding may have contained a significant legal error and that the matter should be considered again. A rehearing is related to, but not necessarily identical with, a retrial, because a court may revisit legal or procedural issues without completely restarting the evidence. The verb “to rehear” can also mean to listen again to a recording, performance, or statement. Outside legal writing, “rehearing” is relatively uncommon and sounds formal, so ordinary conversational phrasing is often more precise. Its usefulness lies in distinguishing a second examination of a case or sound from the original hearing itself.
Another hearing or trial of a case, especially one ordered following an earlier proceeding.
"The judge scheduled a rehearing for the following month."
Most often used in legal and appellate contexts.
To hear again, especially a recording, performance, or statement.
"The committee rehear the witness statement before reaching a decision."
Formal and less common than listen to again in ordinary speech.
The plural is used for separate additional hearings or legal proceedings.
"Several rehearings delayed the final ruling."
A rehearing gives a case a second hearing without necessarily requiring a completely new trial.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does rehearing come from?
The word is formed from the prefix re-, meaning “again,” and the verb hear. Hear ultimately comes from Old English hīeran, inherited through Middle English and modern English. Related forms such as hearing, hearsay, and hearer share the same verbal root, while rehear and rehearing add an explicit sense of repetition.
Related word forms
How rehearing is actually used
The legal sense is most common in appellate proceedings. Outside law, the word is formal and often implies listening to an earlier recording or performance again.