Reclaim
/ˌriːˈkleɪm/noun
To recover possession of something or to bring something back under control.
Did you know?“Reclaim” entered English through Old French and ultimately comes from Latin roots meaning “to cry out again,” showing how a word for calling back became one for taking back.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kleh₂-
“to call, cry out”
Latin
Latin
clamāre
“to call out, shout”
Old French
Old French
reclamer
“to call back, demand, claim again”
Middle English
English
reclaymen
“to call back, demand return of”
Modern English
English
reclaim
“to recover, take back, or restore to a former state”