rehabilitation
ree-huh-bil-ih-TAY-shun
/ˌriːhəˌbɪlɪˈteɪʃən/
The process of restoring someone to health or normal life through training and therapy after an injury.
While 'recovery' is the state of getting better, 'rehabilitation' is the active, structured program designed to achieve that state.
The story behind the word. From the Medieval Latin 'rehabilitare,' meaning 'to restore to a former rank.' In a medical sense, it means making the body 'fit' or 'habitable' for normal activity once again.
Word relationships
- recovery: Recovery is the general state of returning to health; rehabilitation is the specific process used to get there.
- deterioration: Deterioration is the process of getting worse, the opposite of the restorative goal of rehab.
Commonly confused with
- habilitation: Habilitation is learning a skill for the first time; rehabilitation is relearning it after losing it.
Word family
- rehabilitate (verb): To restore to a former state of health.
- rehabilitative (adjective): Tending to or intended to rehabilitate.
Collocations
- cardiac rehabilitation
- rehabilitation program
- undergo rehabilitation
Example sentences
- "My rehabilitation was a long, slow, and often frustrating process of regaining basic strength." Describing the long road back from a career-threatening injury.
Memory hook
Think of 're-hab' as 're-fitting' your 'habit' (your body's usual way of moving). Re-fitting the body for life.
When not to use
Do not use for simple rest; it implies a guided, active process.
Fun facts
- The term was originally used in a legal context to describe restoring a person's rights or reputation.
Related words
Explore more words
rehabilitate, restitution, restore, restoration, retributive, therapeutic
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