英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

relegate (v.)[relegate 词源字典]: 1590s "to banish, send into exile," from Latin relegatus, past participle of relegare "remove, dismiss, banish, send away, schedule, put aside," from re- "back" (see re-) + legare "send with a commission" (see legate). Meaning "place in a position of inferiority" is recorded from 1790. Related: Relegated; relegating; relegable.[relegate etymology, relegate origin, 英语词源]
relegation (n.): 1580s, from Latin relegationem (nominative relegatio), noun of action from past participle stem of relegare (see relegate).
relent (v.): late 14c., "to melt, soften, dissolve," from re- + Latin lentus "slow, viscous, supple" (see lithe), perhaps on model of Old French rallentir. Sense of "become less harsh or cruel" first recorded 1520s. The notion probably is of a hard heart melting with pity. Related: Relented; relenting.
relentless (adj.): 1590s, from relent + -less. Related: Relentlessly; relentlessness.
relevance (n.): 1733; see relevant + -ance. Related: Relevancy (1560s).
relevant (adj.): "pertinent to the matter at hand," 1550s, from Middle French relevant "depending upon," originally "helpful," from Medieval Latin relevantem (nominative relevans), from stem of Latin relevare "to lessen, lighten" (see relieve). Not generally used until after 1800.
releve (n.): 1825 as a dish; 1930 in ballet, from French relevé, 19th century verbal noun from past participle of relever (see relieve), so, literally "raised up."
reliability (n.): 1816, from reliable + -ity.
reliable (adj.): 1560s, raliabill, Scottish; see rely + -able. Not common before 1850; and sometimes execrated thereafter in Britain as an Americanism because it involves a use of -able different from its use in provable, etc., but defended (by OED, Century Dictionary, etc.) on grounds of use of the suffix in available, laughable, etc.. Related: Reliably.
reliance (n.): c. 1600, from rely + -ance.
reliant (adj.): 1856; see rely + -ant. Because it means "dependent (on)" it would seem an odd name for an automobile, but Chrysler (Plymouth) nonetheless chose it as one in 1981.
relic (n.): early 13c., "body part or other object from a holy person," from Old French relique (11c., plural reliques), from Late Latin reliquiæ (plural) "remains of a martyr," in classical Latin "remains, remnants," noun use of fem. plural of reliquus "remaining, that which remains," related to relinquere (perfective reliqui) "to leave behind" (see relinquish). Sense of "remains, ruins" is from early 14c. Old English used reliquias, directly from Latin.
relict (n.): "a widow," mid-15c., from Old French relict, fem. relicte "person or thing left behind" (especially a widow) and directly from Medieval Latin relicta "a widow," noun use of fem. of relictus "abandoned, left behind," past participle adjective from Latin relinquere "to leave behind" (see relinquish).
reliction (n.): in law, "a recession of the sea from the land," 1670s, from Latin relictionem (nominative relictio), noun of action from past participle stem of relinquere (see relinquish).
relief (n.1): late 14c., "alleviation of distress, hunger, sickness, etc; state of being relieved; that which mitigates or removes" (pain, grief, evil, etc.)," from Anglo-French relif, from Old French relief "assistance," literally "a raising, that which is lifted," from stressed stem of relever (see relieve). Meaning "aid to impoverished persons" is attested from c. 1400; that of "deliverance of a besieged town" is from c. 1400. Earlier in English as "that which is left over or left behind," also "feudal payment to an overlord made by an heir upon taking possession of an estate" (both c. 1200).
relief (n.2): "projection of figure or design from a flat surface," c. 1600, from French relief, from Italian rilievo, from rilevare "to raise," from Latin relevare "to raise, lighten" (see relieve).
relieve (v.): late 14c., "alleviate (pain, etc.), mitigate; afford comfort; allow respite; diminish the pressure of," also "give alms to, provide for;" also figuratively, "take heart, cheer up;" from Old French relever "to raise, relieve" (11c.) and directly from Latin relevare "to raise, alleviate, lift up, free from a burden," from re-, intensive prefix (see re-), + levare "to lift up, lighten," from levis "not heavy" (see lever).

The notion is "to raise (someone) out of trouble." From c. 1400 as "advance to the rescue in battle;" also "return from battle; recall (troops)." Meaning "release from duty" is from early 15c. Related: relieved; relieving.
reliever (n.): late 15c., agent noun from relieve. Baseball sense ("relief pitcher") is attested by 1945.
religate (v.): "bind together," 1590s from Latin religatus, past participle of religare "fasten, bind fast" (see rely). Related: Religated; religating.
religieuse (n.): "a nun, a religious woman," 1690s, from French, fem. of religieux "monk," noun use of adjective meaning "religious" (see religious). As a type of pastry, attested from 1929.