/ rɪˈsɪdɪvɪst; NAmE / noun
( formal ) a person who continues to commit crimes, and seems unable to stop, even after being punished
► re·cid·iv·ism / -ɪzəm; NAmE / noun [ U ]
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WORD ORIGIN
late 19th cent.: from French récidiviste , from récidiver fall back, based on Latin recidivus falling back, from the verb recidere , from re- back + cadere to fall.