recant means to withdraw or repudiate a statement or opinion formerly expressed, especially formally and publicly.
recant is pronounced /ɹəˈkænt/.
Why “recant” is a great word
To withdraw or repudiate a statement or opinion formerly expressed, especially in a formal and public manner. From Latin recantare ("to sing back, revoke"), from re- ("back") and cantare ("to sing"), a frequentative of canere ("to sing"). First attested in English in 1535. Unlike "retract," which can be a quiet, administrative taking-back, or "affirm," which is its direct opposite, to recant is to perform a public undoing of the self. It is the strained voice in a torchlit square, the dry parchment of a signed confession trembling in a draft, the hollow echo where a conviction once rang—a solitary song sung backward into silence.
Etymology
First attested in 1535, from Latin recantare (“to sing back, reecho, sing again, repeat in singing, recant, recall, revoke, charm back or away”), from re- (“back”) + canto (“to chant, to sing”), frequentative of cano.
verb
- To withdraw or repudiate a statement or opinion formerly expressed, especially formally and publicly.e.g.“Convince me that I am wrong, and I will recant.”
- To give a new cant (slant, angle) to something, in particular railway track on a curve.e.g.“Numerous curves, which previously had given no trouble at 75 and 80 m.p.h., were realigned and recanted to adapt them for 90 m.p.h. and more, [...].”