reactivation

R1E1A1C3T1I1V4A1T1I1O1N1

noun

The activation of something previously inactive or inactivated.

OriginEnglish activation ← Middle English actyf ← Old French actif →
Less commonScrabble 17
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Meanings

nounreactivation (countable and uncountable, plural reactivations)

plural reactivations

  1. countableuncountableThe activation of something previously inactive or inactivated.

    “Many questions remain, including the criteria that will be used for these reactivations and whether this will apply to students who did not file lawsuits.”

    2025 April 25, Tierney Sneed, Gloria Pazmino and Kristin Chapman, “Trump backs down in legal fight over canceling international students’ status records for now”, in CNN
    2 more examples

    Perhaps most alarming, reports arrive each hour of reawakened Precursor artifacts, including orbital ribbons, star roads, planetary fortresses, and citadels. Combined defense forces are inadequate to investigate and confirm all instances of these reactivations. They appear to be galaxy-wide.

    2013 March 19, Greg Bear, String 18, in Halo: Silentium (Forerunner Saga; 3), New York: Tor, →ISBN, page 187

    The link also requires reactivation between South Acton Junction and Old Kew Junction (Kew Bridge). Both currently have occasional empty stock workings and excursion traffic.

    2024 March 6, Howard Johnston, “Network News: TfL prioritises London West Orbital for 2032”, in RAIL, number 1004, pages 14-15

Origin

  1. Proto-Italic*wre-
  2. Latinre-
  3. Old Frenchre-
  4. Middle Englishre-
  5. Englishre-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eǵ-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*h₂éǵeti
  8. Proto-Italic*agō
  9. Latinagō
  10. Ancient Greekἐνεργητικός (energētikós)
  11. Latināctīvu
  12. Old Frenchactif
  13. Middle Englishactyf
  14. Englishactive
  15. Englishactivate
  16. Englishactivation
  17. Englishreactivation

From re- + activation.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish reaktivaatio, uudelleenkäynnistys
  • reaktivaatiothe activation of something previously inactive or inactivated
  • uudelleenkäynnistysthe activation of something previously inactive or inactivated
French réactivation
  • réactivationthe activation of something previously inactive or inactivated
German Reaktivierung
  • Reaktivierungthe activation of something previously inactive or inactivated
Polish reaktywacja
  • reaktywacjathe activation of something previously inactive or inactivated
Slovak reaktivizácia
  • reaktivizáciathe activation of something previously inactive or inactivated
Swedish reaktivering
  • reaktiveringthe activation of something previously inactive or inactivated
Cite this entry
APA

reactivation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reactivation

MLA

“reactivation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reactivation. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “reactivation,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reactivation.

Source: reactivation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.