rendition

noun

ren·​di·​tion ren-ˈdi-shən How to pronounce rendition (audio)
plural renditions
: the act or result of rendering something: such as
a
: a performance or interpretation of something
a moving rendition of a song
a fine rendition of a classic recipe
b
: depiction
… the rusty orange color was an extremely accurate rendition of the Martian soil's appearance.David Savold
c
: translation
the first rendition of the text into English
d
: surrender
specifically, US law : the surrender by a state of a fugitive to another state charging the fugitive with a crime : interstate extradition
Two city residents wanted in New Jersey on gun charges are being held without bail awaiting rendition to that state. Andrew Amelinckx
see also extraordinary rendition

Did you know?

When a singer performs their rendition of someone else's song, or a chef adds a few twists to someone else’s recipe to concoct their own unique rendition, each is—in a sense—returning: returning to something old in order to create something new. Fittingly, the word rendition, which has been part of English since at least the early 1600s, traces back ultimately to the Latin verb reddere, meaning "to return." Reddere is also the ancestor of the English verb render, whose many meanings include "to give a performance of" and "to give up or yield." Although render took a different path from reddere than did rendition, it's perhaps no surprise that the latter fundamentally means "an act or result of rendering something," and may be applied to everything from a performance, depiction, or translation of something, to a surrender (surrender being another reddere descendent), as in "fugitives awaiting rendition to a neighboring state."

Examples of rendition in a Sentence

a moving rendition of an old gospel song a new rendition of the text in English
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There is nothing analytical about Jackiw and Denk’s rendition, which translates all those formal intricacies into an infectious colloquy of voices. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024 This February 1969 rendition is a tremendous showcase for his bass running like a jackrabbit just as frantically as Garcia’s lead guitar or the four-armed drumming of Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart. Jordan Hoffman, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2024 Throughout the entire season, be sure to take the Snow Globe Stroll to see seven life-size renditions of popular Christmas themes. Rebecca Deurlein, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 Later, in 1961, Julia Child published Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which included her more traditional French rendition of the dessert—i.e. no syrup. Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for rendition 

Word History

Etymology

obsolete French, from Middle French, alteration of reddition, from Late Latin reddition-, redditio, from Latin reddere to return

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rendition was in 1601

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Dictionary Entries Near rendition

Cite this Entry

“Rendition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rendition. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

rendition

noun
ren·​di·​tion ren-ˈdish-ən How to pronounce rendition (audio)
: an act or result of rendering
sang their rendition of the old song

Legal Definition

rendition

noun
ren·​di·​tion ren-ˈdi-shən How to pronounce rendition (audio)
1
: the act or result of rendering
the Court's rendition of judgment
2
: extradition of a fugitive who has fled to another state

More from Merriam-Webster on rendition

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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