"relapsed criminal," 1863, from French récidiviste, from récidiver "to fall back, relapse," from Medieval Latin recidivare "to relapse into sin," from Latin recidivus "falling back," from recidere "fall back," from re- "back, again" (see re-) + comb. form of cadere "to fall" (see case, n.). Recidivation in the spiritual sense is attested from early 15c., was very common 17c.