reentry

noun

re·​en·​try (ˌ)rē-ˈen-trē 

1

: a retaking possession

especially : entry by a lessor on leased premises on the tenant's failure to perform the conditions of the lease

2

: a second or new entry

3

: a playing card that will enable a player to regain the lead

4

: the action of reentering the earth's atmosphere after travel in space

Examples of reentry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Key technological hurdles remain, including ensuring warhead survivability during atmospheric reentry, enhancing missile guidance systems, and achieving the capability for multiple warheads to penetrate missile defenses. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024

However, experts say North Korea has yet to master the technology needed to build warheads small enough to be placed on those missiles and protect the warheads during atmospheric reentry. —Stella Kim, NBC News, 31 Oct. 2024

SpaceX’s last launch was in June and marked the first successful reentry of the company’s spacecraft into the atmosphere after three previous attempts. —Molly Bohannon, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024

Last year, company officials called for the FAA to double its licensing staff for reviewing applications for commercial launch and reentry applications. —Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 10 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

reentry

noun

re·​en·​try (ˈ)rē-ˈen-trē 

1

: a second or new entry

2

: the action of reentering the earth's atmosphere after travel in space

Medical Definition

reentry

noun

re·​en·​try (ˈ)rē-ˈen-trē 

plural reentries

: a cardiac mechanism that is held to explain certain abnormal heart actions (as tachycardia) and that involves the transmission of a wave of depolarization along an alternate pathway when the original pathway is blocked with return of the impulse along the blocked pathway when the alternate pathway is refractory and then transmission along the open pathway resulting in an abnormality

Legal Definition

reentry

noun

re·​en·​try ˌrē-ˈen-trē 

: a retaking possession of property by a lessor or grantor in exercise of the right to do so upon the failure of the lessee or grantee to fulfill a covenant or condition see also power of termination at power sense 2b