Pronunciation: [ɹɪlˈapsɪz] (IPA) 
The word "relapses" (rɪˈlæpsɪz) is spelled with two syllables and the letter "s" at the end. The first syllable is pronounced with a short "i" sound and the second syllable has a long "a" sound. The "s" at the end is pronounced with a "z" sound, as it follows a voiced sound. "Relapses" is the plural form of "relapse," which means to suffer a setback after making progress or recovery, often in the context of addiction or illness.
Relapses can be defined as the recurrence or reappearance of symptoms or a disease after a period of improvement or remission. It refers to the return of a condition or illness that was thought to have been resolved or under control. Relapses can occur in various medical conditions, including but not limited to mental health disorders, addiction, autoimmune diseases, and cancer.
In the context of addiction, relapse is often associated with substance abuse or dependency. It represents the resumption of substance use after a period of abstinence or recovery. It is a common and challenging aspect of addiction recovery, as it can be discouraging for individuals who have invested time and effort in overcoming their addiction.
In mental health disorders, like depression or anxiety, relapse refers to the worsening or recurrence of symptoms following a period of improvement. It could be triggered by various factors, such as stress, non-compliance with treatment, or changes in medication.
In the medical field, relapse can also refer to the return or reactivation of a disease, such as the recurrence of a cancerous tumor after it was thought to have been removed or treated successfully.
Overall, relapses imply the setback of an individual's progress towards recovery or resolution, requiring additional intervention, treatment, or support to regain control over the condition.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word relapse originated from the Latin word relapsus, which is the past participle of the verb relabi meaning to slide back, to fall back. The prefix re- indicates repetition or back, while lapsus means slid or fallen. This Latin term subsequently influenced Old French, where it became relaps before eventually evolving into the modern English word relapse.
