resipiscence
/ˌɹɛsɪˈpɪsn̩(t)s/
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from Middle French resipiscence (“act of recovering one’s senses or coming back to a more acceptable view; repentance”) (modern French résipiscence), or from its etymon Late Latin resipīscentia (“regaining of a clear state of mind, repentance”), from Latin resipīscēns + -ia (suffix forming feminine abstract nouns). Resipīscēns is the present participle of resipīscō (“to recover one’s senses; to revive”), from re- (prefix meaning ‘again’) + sapiō (“to have flavour or taste; (figurative) to have good taste or discernment; to be sensible or wise”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *seh₁p-, *sep- (“to taste; to try out”)) + -īscō (a variant of -ēscō (suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘becoming [something]’)).
resipiscence means recognition of one or more past mistakes, especially with a desire to improve in the future; repentance; (countable) an instance of this. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
resipiscence is pronounced /ˌɹɛsɪˈpɪsn̩(t)s/.
Why “resipiscence” is a great word
RESIPISCENCE — [Noun] The act of returning to a sensible or correct view after a period of error, often accompanied by repentance and a desire for improvement. From the Late Latin resipīscentia ("regaining a clear mind, repentance"), from Latin resipīscere ("to recover one's senses"), itself from re- ("again") + sapere ("to taste; to be wise"). Unlike "remorse" (which is the backward-looking sting of regret) or "reformation" (which is the outward work of change), resipiscence is the quiet, inner pivot, the moment the fog lifts. It is the bitter taste of one's own foolishness on the tongue, the precise click of a dislocated thought sliding back into place, or the sudden, clear chill of dawn after a feverish night—a private wisdom regained, often too late to undo, but just in time to begin.
noun
- Recognition of one or more past mistakes, especially with a desire to improve in the future; repentance; (countable) an instance of this.“And I haue already ſayd how ſinners for obteyning of pardon haue neede of repentance, which ſome like better to call Reſipiſcence, or amendment, and of change of minde: and the Lord promiſeth that he will pardon ſinners if they repent, if they amend and turne their hartes from their naughtie liues vnto hym.”
- The act of becoming comprehending, reasonable or responsible, especially after having behaved in an uncomprehending, unreasonable, or irresponsible manner; the act of coming to one's senses; (countable) an instance of this.“The most urgent thing to do seems to be that we come all together in having at once our Ministers in France give a joint declaration or like and simultaneous declarations which may bring to their senses the leaders of the violent party [behind the French Revolution] and avert desperate decisions by still leaving open to them a way for honest resipiscence and the peaceful establishment of a conditi”