recovery
rih-KUH-vuh-ree
Recovery (noun) means a return to a normal or better condition after illness, damage, or difficulty. Example: “The doctor said her recovery would take about six weeks.”
noun
1
A return to a normal or better condition after illness, damage, or difficulty.
"The doctor said her recovery would take about six weeks."
"The stock market showed signs of recovery after months of decline."
"Rest and fluids are the best route to a quick recovery."
2
The act of getting back something that was lost or stolen.
"The insurance company handled the recovery of the stolen vehicle."
"The police announced the recovery of the stolen paintings."
"Divers helped with the recovery of the lost anchor from the harbour."
How to use recovery
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishGetting back to normal, or getting something back.
Common pairings
make a recovery
economic recovery
road to recovery
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Word forms
- Plural
- recoveries
Fill the gap
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The doctor said her _____ would take about six weeks.
Etymology
From recover plus the suffix -y, ultimately from Latin recuperare.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for recovery
See all rhymes for recovery →Frequently asked questions
What does “recovery” mean?
The word “recovery” means a return to a normal or better condition after illness, damage, or difficulty. In plain terms, getting back to normal, or getting something back.
How do you pronounce “recovery”?
“Recovery” is pronounced rih-KUH-vuh-ree (/ɹɪˈkʌvəɹi/ in IPA).
How do you use “recovery” in a sentence?
Here is “recovery” used in a sentence: “The doctor said her recovery would take about six weeks.”
What part of speech is “recovery”?
“Recovery” is a noun.
Where does the word “recovery” come from?
The word “recovery” comes from Latin. From recover plus the suffix -y, ultimately from Latin recuperare.
Is “recovery” a common word?
“Recovery” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “recovery” have?
“Recovery” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a return to a normal or better condition after illness, damage, or difficulty.
What is the difference between recovery and healing?
The words overlap but differ in scope. Healing is the biological or emotional process of a wound, illness, or hurt mending itself. Recovery is the broader return to normal function and wellbeing that healing makes possible. You can be fully healed yet still recovering strength, and recovery also applies beyond health, to economies or data.
What are the different types of recovery?
Recovery takes many forms. Medical recovery is regaining health after illness, injury, or surgery. Addiction recovery is staying free of a substance and rebuilding life. Economic recovery is a return to growth after a downturn. Disaster and data recovery restore what was damaged or lost, whether a community or computer files.
Why is recovery important?
Recovery is what turns a setback into a fresh start. After illness or injury it restores health and independence; after loss or trauma it rebuilds stability and hope. For economies and communities, recovery repairs the damage and renews growth. Without it, the harm from a crisis would simply persist rather than heal.
What is an example of recovery?
Regaining strength and mobility through physical therapy after a broken leg is a clear example of recovery. Others include a patient recovering from surgery, an economy recovering after a recession, a person in recovery from addiction, and an IT team recovering lost files from a backup after a system crash.
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