noun
reversion
rih-VUR-zhuhn/rɪˈvɜːrʒn/
A return to an earlier condition or holder.
The abandoned garden shows a gradual reversion to wild shrubs.
Etymology
Reversion names an act of “turning back.” Its early legal use concerned an estate returning when a grant expired; the selected sense applies that same return to a previous condition.
In context
the recent revulsion in heraldic art with its reversion to older types and its copying of older examples
More examples
- Stress can trigger a reversion to old habits.
- The update failed, forcing a reversion to the previous version.
- The deed gives her a right of reversion when his interest in the property ends.
Forms
reversion · reversions
revert verb — To return to an earlier state or owner.
Similar words
- return
- Broader; also covers coming back to a place or activity.
- regression
- Specifically suggests returning to a worse or less developed condition.