To change or adapt something again, usually to make it fit better or work properly.
From 're-' (again) + 'adjust' (from French 'adjuster,' to fit or make suitable). The prefix 're-' is Germanic, while 'adjust' comes from Old French, creating a hybrid that emerged in English by the 1600s.
Readjust appears simple, but it's doing hidden work—the 're-' prefix suggests that adjustment is not a one-time fix but an ongoing process. Life is basically constant readjusting to new circumstances, so the word captures something fundamental about how humans adapt.
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