Relaxed
/rɪˈlækst/noun
Not tense, anxious, or rigid; at ease.
Did you know?Its root goes back to Latin *laxare*, “to loosen,” the same ancient idea behind words for slackness, release, and letting a binding come undone.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*leǵ- / *leg-
“To collect, gather, or bind together (reconstructed root behind Latin *laxus* via later development).”
Latin
Latin
laxus
“Loose, slack, open, wide.”
Latin
Latin
relaxare
“To loosen again; to release, let go, or make less strict.”
Old French
Old French
relaxer
“To set free, release, or ease up.”
Middle English
English
relaxen
“To loosen, abate, or make less severe.”
Modern English
English
relaxed
“Freed from tension; calm and unstrained.”
Explore more surprising origins