Definitions
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. Change to a better frame of mind; repentance. The term is never used for that regret of a vicious man at letting pass an opportunity of vice or crime which is sometimes called
repentance .
Wiktionary
- n. wisdom from experience
- n. repentance
- n. recognition of a past mistake and the desire to improve in the future
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. Wisdom derived from severe experience; hence, repentance.
Examples
“The medieval legislation, both ecclesiastical and secular, clearly distinguished between the punishment to be inflicted for the crime of apostasy and the means of instruction to be used in order to bring about the resipiscence of the apostate.”
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 4: Clandestinity-Diocesan Chancery
“In fact the long list of heresiarchs contains the name of only one who came to resipiscence: Berengarius.”
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 7: Gregory XII-Infallability
“Endless stories could be keyed or geared on to different parts of the main legend: there might be a Tristan-saga, a Palomides-saga, a Gawain-saga, episodes of Balin or of Beaumains, incidents of the fate of the damsel of Astolat or the resipiscence of Geraint.”
The Flourishing of Romance and the Rise of Allegory (Periods of European Literature, vol. II)
“It was the object of the Inquisition that such people should not indeed be spared, but should not perish without a trial and without opportunity of resipiscence, so that they might save their souls if not their lives.”
Lists
‘resipiscence’ hasn't been added to any lists yet.
reesetee You're right, palooka. I feel resipiscence about not having used this word more often. ;-) Oct 4, 2007
palooka Beautiful word and fun to say. I'd love to see it used more often. Oct 4, 2007
reesetee Recognition of past mistakes and desire to do better in future. "It is derived from Latin resipiscere which means 'to recover one's senses,' and is a useful term for any member of the business community to remember." (From Foyle's Philavery: A Treasury of Unusual Words, by Christopher Foyle.)
Oct 3, 2007