Standard Lemma guide

rewrite

noun · verb · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈɹiː.ɹaɪt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ˈɹi.ɹaɪt/
  • rhymes with -iːɹaɪt
  • UK: /ɹiːˈɹaɪt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ɹiˈɹaɪt/
  • rhymes with -aɪt
  • CMU ARPABET: R IY0 R AY1 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: R IY1 R AY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of writing again or anew.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The film script underwent a rewrite for the European market.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Something that has been written again.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The replacement of subterms of a formula with other terms, according to certain rules, by way of transformation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To write again, differently; to modify; to revise.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The editor asked me to rewrite my article for a non-technical audience.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To write again (without changes).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To replace subterms of a formula with other terms, according to certain rules, by way of transformation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

something that has been written again

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the rewrite was much better

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: revision, rescript

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: writing, written material, piece of writing

8

verb

Meaning 8

write differently; alter the writing of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The student rewrote his thesis

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: write

Narrower terms: decode, decrypt, decipher, transliterate, transcribe, revise

9

verb

Meaning 9

rewrite so as to make fit to suit a new or different purpose

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • re-write a play for use in schools

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: write, compose, pen, indite

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Italic *wre- Latin re-der. Old French re-bor. Middle English re- English re- English write English rewrite From re- + write.

Across languages

Translations

52 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: преработка (prerabotka) — something that has been written again
  • Esperanto: reverko — something that has been written again
  • Hungarian: átír — something that has been written again
  • Norwegian: omskrivning — something that has been written again
  • Polish: przepisanie — something that has been written again
  • Scottish Gaelic: ath-sgrìobhadh — something that has been written again
  • Belarusian: перапі́сваць (pjerapísvacʹ) — write again, differently
  • Belarusian: перапіса́ць (pjerapisácʹ) — write again, differently
  • Bulgarian: преработвам (prerabotvam) — write again, differently
  • Catalan: reescriure — write again, differently
  • Chinese Mandarin: 重寫 /重写 (chóngxiě) — write again, differently
  • Czech: přepsat — write again, differently
  • Dutch: herschrijven — write again, differently
  • Finnish: kirjoittaa uudestaan — write again, differently
  • French: réécrire — write again, differently
  • French: récrire — write again, differently
  • Galician: reescribir — write again, differently
  • German: umschreiben — write again, differently
  • Italian: riscrivere — write again, differently
  • Japanese: 書き直す (kakinaosu) — write again, differently
  • Kazakh: көшіру (köşıru) — write again, differently
  • Latin: rescrībō — write again, differently
  • Norwegian: omskrive — write again, differently
  • Polish: pisać ponownie — write again, differently
  • Polish: napisać ponownie — write again, differently
  • Portuguese: reescrever — write again, differently
  • Portuguese: reformular — write again, differently
  • Russian: перепи́сывать (perepísyvatʹ) — write again, differently
  • Russian: переписа́ть (perepisátʹ) — write again, differently
  • Scottish Gaelic: ath-sgrìobh — write again, differently
  • Slovak: prepísať — write again, differently
  • Spanish: reescribir — write again, differently
  • Belarusian: перапі́сваць (pjerapísvacʹ) — write again, without changing
  • Belarusian: перапіса́ць (pjerapisácʹ) — write again, without changing
  • Bulgarian: преписвам (prepisvam) — write again, without changing
  • Catalan: reescriure — write again, without changing
  • Chinese Mandarin: 抄寫 /抄写 (chāoxiě) — write again, without changing
  • Finnish: kirjoittaa uudestaan — write again, without changing
  • Galician: reescribir — write again, without changing
  • German: neu schreiben — write again, without changing
  • Italian: riscrivere — write again, without changing
  • Kazakh: көшіру (köşıru) — write again, without changing
  • Norwegian: rekonstruere — write again, without changing
  • Polish: przepisywać — write again, without changing
  • Polish: przepisać — write again, without changing
  • Portuguese: reescrever — write again, without changing
  • Russian: перепи́сывать (perepísyvatʹ) — write again, without changing
  • Russian: переписа́ть (perepisátʹ) — write again, without changing
  • Scottish Gaelic: ath-sgrìobh — write again, without changing
  • Spanish: reescribir — write again, without changing
  • Ukrainian: перепи́сувати (perepýsuvaty) — write again, without changing
  • Ukrainian: переписа́ти (perepysáty) — write again, without changing