to restate the main points of (an argument, speech, etc); summarize
2.
(transitive) (of an animal) to repeat (stages of its evolutionary development) during the embryonic stages of its life
3.
to repeat at some point during a piece of music (material used earlier in the same work)
Derived Forms
recapitulative, recapitulatory, adjective
Word Origin
C16: from Late Latin recapitulāre, literally: to put back under headings; see capitulate
Word Origin and History for recapitulate
v.
1560s, back-formation from recapitulation and also from Late Latin recapitulatus, past participle of recapitulare. Related: Recapitulated; recapitulating.