1 the act or an instance of recapitulating.
2 Biol. the reappearance in embryos of successive type-forms in the evolutionary line of development.
3 Mus. part of a movement, esp. in sonata form, in which themes from the exposition are restated.
Etymology: ME f. OF recapitulation or LL recapitulatio (as RECAPITULATE)
Useful english dictionary. 2012.