I will revert to you in due course...

I recently made a travel insurance claim, as I was down with tonsillitis right after my Bangkok trip. After I submitted the claim, I received an acknowledgement receipt by mail from the insurer.

"We acknowledge receipt of your Accident Report/Claim Form. 

We are currently assessing your claim and will revert to you in due course, do bear with us in the meantime. 

Kindly quote our reference number when communicating with us."

It's surprising how many people use the word 'revert' to mean 'get back to you' or 'reply'. Like, "have they reverted to you?" or "I am still waiting for the supplier to revert." And in the example of the insurer above, they actually drafted this as their formal acknowledgement reply template.

According to dictionary.com, the word 'revert' has the following definitions:

1) To return to a former habit, practice, belief, condition, etc.: They reverted to the ways of their forefathers.

2) (Law) To go back to or return to the former owner or to his or her heirs.

3) (Biology) To return to an earlier or primitive type.

4) To go back in thought or discussion: He constantly reverted to his childhood.

I wonder how this started. Maybe some people thought that using the word 'revert' sounds more professional than 'reply' and started using it this way. And the rest followed suit.