What does remastered mean?
Remastered means that an existing recording, film, or other work has been restored or improved using its original source material. The term is especially common in discussions of music, where a remaster may correct sound problems, reduce noise, improve clarity, and include material omitted from an earlier release. It can also mean broadly revised or reworked, as in “a remastered presentation,” although this usage is less frequent. The word distinguishes enhancement of an existing work from a remake, which is a new production based on the same concept or source. “Remastered” became particularly prominent with the commercial introduction of digitally remastered compact discs, but the practice also applies to films, archival audio, video games, and other media. Its name reflects the idea of producing a new master copy: an authoritative source from which later versions can be made.
Having been restored or improved from an original source, especially as a recording, film, or edition.
"Listeners praised the remastered recording for its greater clarity and depth."
This is the dominant and technical sense of the word.
Revised or reworked in a broader sense.
"The lecture was delivered as a remastered version incorporating recent research."
This figurative extension is less common than the media-related sense.
A remaster gives an old recording a second life, often revealing details that the original release could not fully capture.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of remastered
Remastered was formed in 20th-century English by combining the prefix re-, meaning “again,” with the past participle of master in the sense of creating or obtaining a master version. Master itself comes through Old French mestre from Latin magister, a word associated with authority, teaching, and a teacher or superior. Related English forms include mastery and magistrate, both of which continue the Latin inheritance.
Related word forms
How remastered is actually used
Remastered most commonly modifies media such as recordings, albums, films, or editions. It usually implies that the earlier material remains fundamentally the same while its presentation or technical quality has been enhanced.
Easily confused with remastered
A remaster improves or restores the technical or recorded quality of an existing work, whereas a remake creates a new version of it.