Etymology

relent

R1E1L1E1N1T1

Today it means: To give in or be swayed; to become less hard, harsh, or cruel; to show clemency. Full definition →

Middle English relenten ← Anglo-Norman relentir ← Latin re-
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromre-
  2. Anglo-Norman · derived fromrelentir
  3. Middle English · inherited fromrelenten
  4. English todayrelent

From Middle English relenten, from Anglo-Norman relentir, from Latin re- + lentare (“to bend”), from lentus (“soft, pliant, slow”). Earliest recording dates to 1526. The noun is from the verb.

Words from the same roots

Middle Englishrelenten all →

relentlessly

Latinre- all →

recommendrefrainredressrecompenserepastrevetmentrenayremonstrateravelinre-retroussérevestrevigorate

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.