recapitulation

• Nom désignant l'action de résumer ou de répéter les points essentiels de quelque chose ; en biologie, réapparition des stades ancestraux du développement chez l'embryon ; en musique, section de la forme sonate où les thèmes antérieurs sont réexposés.

A noun referring to the act of summarizing or repeating the main points of something; in biology, it describes the reappearance of ancestral developmental stages in an embryo; in music, it denotes the section of a sonata form where earlier themes are restated.

1. Embryonic developmentC2formalscientific

   The reappearance of ancestral features or structures during the growth of an embryo, reflecting the evolutionary history of a species.

   Récapitulation embryonnaire

   • The recapitulation of gill slits in human embryos is a classic example of ontogeny.
   • Scientists study recapitulation to understand evolutionary relationships.
   • The theory of recapitulation suggests that embryonic development mirrors evolutionary stages.

   Synonymespalingenesis

2. Musical repetitionC1formalart

   The section of a musical composition, especially in sonata form, where earlier themes are restated or revisited.

   Récapitulation (forme sonate)

   • The recapitulation in the sonata brought back the main melody with new harmonies.
   • Beethoven's recapitulation often includes dramatic changes in key.
   • The pianist emphasized the recapitulation with a powerful crescendo.

   Synonymesrecaprepriserestatement

3. Summary or reviewB2formal

   A concise restatement of the main points of a longer discussion or text, often placed at the end.

   Récapitulation

   • The professor gave a recapitulation of the lecture's key concepts.
   • The final chapter provides a recapitulation of the entire argument.
   • A brief recapitulation helped the audience remember the main ideas.

   Synonymesabstractdigestoverviewrecaprestatementreviewrundownsummarysynopsis

4. Musical theme repetitionC1formalart

   The act of repeating earlier musical themes, especially when composing the final part of a movement.

   Récapitulation (musique)

   • The composer used recapitulation to unify the movement's structure.
   • In the recapitulation, the themes return in the original key.
   • The recapitulation section often resolves the tension built in the development.

   Synonymesrecapreiterationrepetitionrepriserestatementreturn