How Do You Spell RELITIGATE?

Pronunciation: [ɹɪlˈɪtɪɡˌe͡ɪt] (IPA)

The word "relitigate" is spelled with the prefix "re-" which means "again" and the word "litigate" which refers to the act of legally contesting a matter. The IPA phonetic transcription for "relitigate" is /riːˈlɪtɪɡeɪt/, with the stress on the second syllable. The "e" in the prefix and the second "i" in the root are pronounced separately. The word is often used in legal settings to describe recurring arguments or disputes.

RELITIGATE Meaning and Definition

  1. Relitigate is a verb that refers to the act of reexamining or reopening a legal case or an issue that has previously been brought to court or otherwise resolved. This term is commonly used within the context of law and dispute resolution.

    When a case has been previously decided, either in favor of or against a party, relitigation occurs if one or both parties involved seek to have the matter reconsidered. This could be due to new evidence or arguments. Relitigating a case generally requires filing an appeal or bringing a new lawsuit based on the same or related issues.

    Relitigation can also be used metaphorically to describe the rehashing or re-discussion of any contentious issue or debate. In this broader context, it emphasizes the repetition of arguments or disagreements without any significant progress or resolution.

    The term "relitigate" can be seen as a combination of "re-" meaning again, and "litigate" meaning to engage in legal proceedings. It underscores the idea of revisiting legal matters that have already undergone some degree of formal legal inquiry and resolution.

    Overall, the term relitigate implies the reopening of a legal case or the reconsideration of a previously resolved issue, whether within the legal system or any other context where disputes are discussed or analyzed.

Etymology of RELITIGATE

The word "relitigate" is derived from the combination of two root words: "re-" and "litigate".

1. "Re-" is a prefix in English that indicates repetition or again. It comes from the Latin word "re", meaning "again" or "anew".

2. "Litigate" is a verb that comes from the Latin word "litigare", which is formed from "litis" (lawsuit) and "-agare" (to drive). It originally referred to the action of contesting a legal matter in a judicial setting or engaging in a lawsuit.

Therefore, when the prefix "re-" is added to "litigate", it forms the word "relitigate", which generally means to contest or argue a legal matter again or to reargue a case that has already been decided.