regurgitate
rih-GUR-juh-tayt
/rɪˈɡɜːrdʒɪteɪt/
To repeat information without understanding it, or to bring swallowed food back up into the mouth.
Carries a strong critical or visceral nuance of mindless reflection of absorbed data.
The story behind the word. Derived from Latin 're-' (back) and 'gurgitare' (to flood or swallow down, linked to 'gurges' meaning whirlpool or throat). It originally referred purely to the biological act of bringing swallowed food back up. By the 19th century, scholars adapted it metaphorically to describe students spitting back undigested facts on exams.
Word relationships
- parrot: 'Parrot' focuses on repeating speech sounds, while 'regurgitate' implies spitting back whole bodies of absorbed information.
- echo: 'Echo' implies simple repetition or agreement, whereas 'regurgitate' has a more negative, mechanical connotation.
- synthesize: To combine diverse ideas into an original whole rather than spitting back intact facts.
- digest: To fully process and understand material mentally before acting on it.
Commonly confused with
- recapitulate: 'Recapitulate' means to summarize main points concisely and thoughtfully, whereas 'regurgitate' means to mindlessly repeat details.
Word family
- regurgitation (noun): The act of regurgitating or repeating mindlessly.
Collocations
- regurgitate facts
- regurgitate information
- blindly regurgitate
Example sentences
- "The professor urged students to analyze the source material rather than simply regurgitate facts from the textbook." Academic criticism
Memory hook
REGURGITATE contains 'GURG'—think of gurgling up undigested thoughts! REGURGITATE = spitting back undigested facts.
When not to use
Do not use when someone is thoughtfully interpreting or paraphrasing information.
Fun facts
- In biology, regurgitation is vital for animals like birds feeding their chicks, but in education, it represents the exact opposite of healthy mental nourishment.
Related words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.