- Renaissance
- "great period of revival of classical-based art and learning in Europe that began 14c.," 1840, from Fr. renaissance des lettres, from O.Fr. renaissance, lit. "rebirth," usually in a spiritual sense, from renaître "be born again," from V.L. *renascere, from L. renasci "be born again," from re- "again" + nasci "be born" (Old L. gnasci; see genus). An earlier term for it was revival of learning (1785). In general usage, with a lower-case r-, "a revival" (esp. of learning, literature, art), it is attested from 1872. Renaissance man is first recorded 1906.