Etymology Map
Back to all words

Relax

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means to become less tense

Where does the word "relax" come from? It comes from Latin relaxare, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
relaxare
Latin · ancient
"to loosen"
're-' plus 'laxare', to loosen
2
Stage 2 of 3
relaxer
Old French · medieval
"to release"
in the late 1300s it was mainly a medical word for loosening muscles; 'relax' and 'release' are doublets of the same Latin verb
3
Stage 3 of 3
relax
English · 1400s
"to loosen"
the sense 'rest' dates from the 1930s
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Read the full story

Relax’s story begins in Latin: relaxare meant “to loosen.” 're-' plus 'laxare', to loosen. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as relaxer. In the late 1300s it was mainly a medical word for loosening muscles; 'relax' and 'release' are doublets of the same Latin verb. It reached English by 1400s as relax. The sense 'rest' dates from the 1930s. Today, relax means to become less tense.