When:
Lookups on Merriam-Webster spiked on December 18, 2010.
Why:
The U.S. Senate voted to repeal the ban on openly gay people serving in the military.
Repeal means "to officially make a law no longer valid."
It comes from the French word that means "to call back."
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged