relaxations
|re-lax-a-tions|
🇺🇸
/ˌrɪlækˈseɪʃənz/
🇬🇧
/ˌriːlækˈseɪʃ(ə)nz/
(relaxation)
freedom from tension
Etymology
'relaxation' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'relaxatio', from the verb 'relaxare', where 're-' meant 'again' or 'back' and 'laxare' meant 'to loosen'.
'relaxation' changed from the Latin word 'relaxatio' and came into Middle English (via Old French/Anglo-Norman forms such as 'relaxacioun'), eventually becoming the modern English 'relaxation'.
Initially, it meant 'the act of loosening' or 'making loose'; over time it evolved to include 'rest, easing of tension' and 'easing or loosening of rules or restrictions'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'relaxation': periods or moments of rest and reduced mental or physical tension.
The weekend trips provided several relaxations from her busy routine.
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Noun 2
easings or reductions of rules, restrictions, or controls (policy or regulatory relaxation).
The government's relaxations of travel restrictions allowed families to reunite.
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Noun 3
physical loosening or release of muscle tension (multiple instances or places of loosening).
After several massages, she noticed distinct relaxations in her neck and shoulders.
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Last updated: 2026/01/02 19:23