Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The retaking of a territory previously lost in war.
  • noun The defeat or subjugation of a previously subjugated group of people by force of arms.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A second or repeated conquest.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A second conquest.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The act or process of conquering something again, such as a territory.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Either from Middle French reconqueste or from re- +‎ conquest.

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Examples

  • They call it with deadly significance the "conquered territory," and the idea of reconquest is strong in their minds.

    Campaign Pictures of the War in South Africa (1899-1900) Letters from the Front A. G. Hales

  • Plus, the Americans helped kill or capture 200-plus jihadists of European nationality who'd gone to Afghanistan to prepare for "reconquest," first of Spain and then of the rest of the old continent.

    The Muslim Question 2 2009

  • "a thousand other former combatants since October 17", when the DRC army began a series of operations of "reconquest", which have also made possible the recovery of Ituri's chief gold mines.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 2005

  • Reconquest of Ireland as its final aim, "and by the word" reconquest "of

    Six days of the Irish Republic A Narrative and Critical Account of the Latest Phase of Irish Politics

  • Last night I watched a rather timely PBS Empires episode called "Holy Wars" about Salah Al-Din and his reconquest of Jerusalem during the Crusades era -- his decision to not slaughter or terrorize the Christian population made him a legend among Islamic and Arabic nations, but cut him no respect from the bloodthirsty Christianists of Europe.

    Diary 7 November 2009 2009

  • Last night I watched a rather timely PBS Empires episode called "Holy Wars" about Salah Al-Din and his reconquest of Jerusalem during the Crusades era -- his decision to not slaughter or terrorize the Christian population made him a legend among Islamic and Arabic nations, but cut him no respect from the bloodthirsty Christianists of Europe.

    Archive 2009-11-01 2009

  • Ed Miliband's spirits will have been cheered by Labour's reconquest of northern citadels it should never have lost, and more particularly by progress in parts of the Midlands.

    Local and devolved elections: Yellow alert | Editorial 2011

  • The reconquest of Brega would be the latest sign that the rebels, backed by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, are slowly, but steadily winning the war against Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's forces.

    Libya Rebels Battle for Key Oil Town Charles Levinson 2011

  • For better or worse, her assignment was to observe the French reconquest and report on the political trends.

    A Covert Affair Jennet Conant 2011

  • For better or worse, her assignment was to observe the French reconquest and report on the political trends.

    A Covert Affair Jennet Conant 2011

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