reinterpretation

/riɪnˌtɜrprəˈteɪʃən/

Other forms: reinterpretations

If something is explained or defined in a new or different way, you can say it is a reinterpretation. If you see a rap version of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," that is a reinterpretation.

Reinterpretation has as its base the word interpret, which is from the Latin word interpretari, which means "explain or understand." If you are a detective working on a cold case, you have to reexamine the evidence. It is possible that you will catch something that others missed before, leading you to a reinterpretation of the case — and perhaps an arrest.

Definitions of reinterpretation

1. noun

   a new or different interpretation
   type of:

   interpretation, rendering, rendition

   the act of interpreting something as expressed in an artistic performance
2. noun

   a new or different meaning
   type of:

   interpretation, reading, version

   a mental representation of the meaning or significance of something