/res'i tay"sheuhn/ , n.
1. an act of reciting.
2. a reciting or repeating of something from memory, esp. formally or publicly.
3. oral response by a pupil or pupils to a teacher on a prepared lesson.
4. a period of classroom instruction.
5. an elocutionary delivery of a piece of poetry or prose, without the text, before an audience.
6. a piece so delivered or for such delivery.
[ 1475-85; recitation- (s. of recitatio ), equiv. to recitat ( us ) (ptp. of recitare to RECITE) + -ion- -ION ]