Lax
/læks/noun
Not strict or careful; relaxed in standards or control.
Did you know?In ancient times, laxness was often associated with a loss of control, hinting at the chaos that could ensue when rules were not strictly followed.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*leɪk̯s
“to be loose or slack.”
Old English
Old English
lax
“loose, slack, or weak.”
Middle English
Middle English
lax
“lacking firmness or strictness.”
Modern English
Modern English
lax
“characterized by a lack of strictness or care.”