Absolve
/əbˈzɒlv/noun
To free someone from guilt, blame, or an obligation.
Did you know?Absolve comes from Latin absolvere, literally “to loosen from,” and it was used for both releasing obligations and declaring someone free of guilt.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sel-
“To loosen, release”
Latin
Latin
solvere
“To loosen, untie, release, pay off”
Latin
Latin
absolvere
“To loosen off, set free, acquit”
Old French
Old French
absolvir
“To absolve, pardon, pronounce free from guilt”
Middle English
English
absolven
“To grant pardon or release from sin”
Modern English
English
absolve
“To free from blame, guilt, or obligation”