What does revisal mean?
Revisal is a formal noun for the act or process of revising something. It is especially associated with editing or reconsidering an existing text, plan, policy, or judicial decision, and it can also denote the improved or altered result of that process. A revisal is generally more deliberate than a casual review: the original work remains relevant, but it is being examined closely so that errors can be corrected and the content strengthened. The term can sound somewhat formal or literary, so revision is much more common in general modern English. Its distinction from revision is mainly contextual: both can refer to the act of changing work, while a revision may also name the changed version itself. In legal and governmental contexts, revisal often conveys official reconsideration or amendment.
nounThe act or process of revising something, especially a text, plan, or judgment. It can also refer to the result of making changes or reconsidering a previous decision.
- The act or process of revising a text, plan, law, judgment, or other work.
- A reconsideration or reappraisal of a decision, policy, or course of action.
"The committee called for another revisal of the proposal before the final vote."
"After careful revisal, the editor approved the revised manuscript."
"The court ordered the judgment to remain under revisal pending further review."
The plural is used when referring to separate acts or processes of revision.
"Several revisals to the agreement delayed its publication."
A revisal is what happens when an idea is not discarded but sharpened: it is revision seen as a deliberate second look.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does revisal come from?
Revisal was formed in English by adding the suffix -al to revise. The base revise comes through Old French reviser, from Latin revisere, a compound of re- meaning again and visere, meaning to see or examine. The same Latin root underlies revision, reviser, revisor, and revisive.
How revisal is actually used
The word is formal and relatively uncommon in everyday speech. In modern usage it often suggests a deliberate reconsideration of an existing text or decision.
Easily confused with revisal
A revisal is the act of revising something, whereas a revision can refer either to that process or to the altered version produced by it.
A revisal emphasizes changes made to an existing work or decision, while a review is primarily an examination or assessment that may or may not lead to changes.