relaxo Latin · revision 6261
16 Oct 2026, 05:57 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Lucretius|origins=la laxus}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [rɛˈɫak.soː]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [reˈlak.so]^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''relaxō''' (present infinitive relaxāre, perfect active relaxāvī, supine relaxātum); first conjugation^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is from [[re-|t=back, again]] and [[laxō]] “to loosen”, from [[laxus]] “loose”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Gaffiot cites Lucretius, of loosening bonds.^(Gaffiot 2016) Köbler dates Lucretius 96–55 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==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.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) It meant to undo fastenings, open doors, and to release from bonds, as in Cicero; in Cicero the bowels are now bound, now relaxed.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Figuratively it meant to relax the mind, unbend, to relieve someone of pressure, and to mitigate conditions, or intransitively to ease off.^(OLD 2012)
+
+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to loosen, forgive, mitigate, soften, alleviate.^(Stelten 1995) It survives in Italian ''rilassare'' and ''rilasciare''.^(Wiktionary) [[en|relax]] came in the late 14th century, and through Old French ''relaissier'' it is also the source of [[en|release]] about 1300.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of loosening bonds.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of release and of relaxing the mind.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 1300 – English ''release'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+ * late 14th century – English ''relax'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Verb===
+ # To loosen, break up; to widen.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To slacken; to [[m|en|relax]] (the body).^(OLD 2012)
+ # To undo; to [[m|en|release]].^(OLD 2012)
+ # To relax (the mind); to relieve.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To mitigate, ''(intransitive)'' to ease off.^(OLD 2012)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[relaxātiō]]
+ * [[relaxator]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[collaxō]]
+ * [[dīlaxō]]
+ * [[laxō]]
+ * [[perlaxō]]
+ * [[laxus]]
+ * [[en|relax]]
+ * [[en|release]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}