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relaxo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word relaxo

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Lucretius
Ultimate origin
Latin (laxus)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [rɛˈɫak.soː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [reˈlak.so][1]

Forms

relaxō (present infinitive relaxāre, perfect active relaxāvī, supine relaxātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from re- (“back, again”) and laxō “to loosen”, from laxus “loose”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Gaffiot cites Lucretius, of loosening bonds.[4] Köbler dates Lucretius 96–55 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to loosen, break up, as Varro's loosened soil, to widen, open up a passage, as in Virgil, and to slacken, unstring a bow, relax the face in a smile.[2][4] It meant to undo fastenings, open doors, and to release from bonds, as in Cicero; in Cicero the bowels are now bound, now relaxed.[2][6] Figuratively it meant to relax the mind, unbend, to relieve someone of pressure, and to mitigate conditions, or intransitively to ease off.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to loosen, forgive, mitigate, soften, alleviate.[7] It survives in Italian rilassare and rilasciare.[1] English relax came in the late 14th century, and through Old French relaissier it is also the source of English release about 1300.[3]

Timeline

  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of loosening bonds.[4][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of release and of relaxing the mind.[2][5]
  • c. 1300 – English release is recorded.[3]
  • late 14th century – English relax is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To loosen, break up; to widen.[2]
  2. To slacken; to relax (the body).[2]
  3. To undo; to release.[2]
  4. To relax (the mind); to relieve.[2]
  5. To mitigate, (intransitive) to ease off.[2]

Word family

  • relaxātiō
  • relaxator

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Relaxo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/relaxo. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·