Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

revenant

/ˈɹɛvənənt/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.47 in modern English

Syllables: revenant
IPA: /ˈɹɛvənənt/

11

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

1

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Someone who returns from a long absence.

noun

A person or thing reborn.

noun

A supernatural being that returns from the dead; a zombie or ghost.

adj

Example Sentences

"They would not visit this undesirable revenant with his insolent wealth and discreditable origin."
"The undergraduates, our fogey revenant observes, look much as they did.., in outward aspect."
"From this moment on, the hero's fate is sealed; an attempt to reestablish himself in human society, though initially successful, inevitably fails. The stone tablet exerts an invincible fascination over the revenant, who becomes so withdrawn that his father implores him: […]"
"Sometimes […] semi-identifications could be made on the basis of names. Henry VII's son Arthur was hailed as a revenant in this way."
"For granting even that Religion were dead; that it had died, half-centuries ago, with unutterable Dubois; or emigrated lately, to Alsace, with Necklace-Cardinal Rohan; or that it now walked as goblin revenant with Bishop Talleyrand of Autun; yet does not the Shadow of Religion, the Cant of Religion, still linger?"
"Earlier you mentioned a ghost, a revenant with which we may contaminate the Emperor."

Etymology

19th century. From French revenant, the present participle of revenir (“to return”). Compare revenue.

Origin

Source language: French

Word Breakdown

Root: *gʷem-, revenant

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈɹɛvənənt/
British English: /ˈɹɛvənənt/

Inflected Forms

revenants (plural) more revenant (comparative) most revenant (superlative)

Synonyms

prodigal returner phoenix apparition spectre recurring

Questions

How do you pronounce revenant?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɹɛvənənt/.
What does revenant mean?: Someone who returns from a long absence.
Where does revenant come from?: It is traced to French.

How to pronounce revenant

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “revenant”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈɹɛvənənt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “revenant”.
Repeat and practice — Say “revenant” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.