recess

CEFRB2

/ɹɪˈsɛs/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A short break from work or school.

  2. 02

    noun

    A small space set back into a wall.

Examples

  • The Diet is now in recess in session.

  • He is lively during recess.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /ˈɹiːsɛs/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. A depressed, hollow, or indented space; also, a hole or opening.

  2. A small space created by building part of a wall further back from the rest; a niche.

  3. A hidden, innermost, or inaccessible place or part of a place.

More examples

In context

  • Let's have some coffee during recess.

  • Put a generous recess behind the handle for finger space.

  • Spring recess offers a good chance to travel.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

After finishing their work, the students enjoyed a short blank in the playground.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

The noun is borrowed from Latin recessus (“act of going back, departure, receding, retiring; (figuratively) retreat, withdrawal; (metonymically) distant, secluded, or secret spot, corner, nook, retreat; recessed part, indentation”) (also Late Latin recessus (“decree or resolution of the Diet of the Holy Roman Empire”)), from recēdō (“to go back, recede, retire, withdraw; to go away, depart; (by extension) to disappear, vanish; to separate; to stand back, be distant; to yield”) (from re- (prefix meaning ‘back, backwards’) + cēdō (“to go, move, proceed”)) + -tus (suffix forming action nouns from verbs); influenced by Middle French recès, French recès (“a break, pause; break between classes in...