Release and Relax Are the Same Latin Word
To release is to set free or make available. It comes from the Latin for loosening, which also produced relax.
To release is to let something go: a prisoner, a brake, a record, a statement. The Latin *relaxare* means to loosen, and English borrowed it twice — once through French as *release* and once directly as *relax*. One loosens a grip, the other loosens a person.
- To set free. *Released from custody.*
- To make available. *The album was released in June.*
- To let go of. *Release the handbrake.*
- An official statement. *A press release.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | release | Release the results. |
| Past | released | Released on bail. |
| Noun | release | A new release. |
| Compound | press release | A press release. |
| Related | relax | Relax the rules. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The film is released next month.Distribution.
- He was released without charge.Legal.
- The company issued a press release.Communications.
Release in different fields
- Publishing — making a work available
- Software — a version issued to users
- Law — freeing someone, or giving up a claim
- Music — a single, an EP or an album
- Wildlife — returning an animal to the wild
From Old French *relaissier*, from Latin *relaxare*, to loosen, from *re-* and *laxus*, loose — the same root as *lax*, *relax* and *laxative*.
Are release and relax related?
Yes. Both descend from Latin *relaxare*, to loosen. Release came through French and relax directly from Latin.
What is a press release?
A statement issued to journalists announcing news, written so it can be quoted or reused directly.