Where does “relent” come from?
Relent comes from Middle English relenten, from Anglo-Norman relentir, formed with the Latin prefix re- and a root descended from Proto-Italic wre and Proto-Indo-European wert-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European wer-.
relent (English): Stay; stop; delay; A relenting; To become less...
Definitions
- Stay; stop; delay; A relenting; To become less...
Ancestry of “relent”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | relenten | To become more fluidous or dissolved; to melt; To... |
| 2 | Anglo-Norman | relentir | to relent |
| 3 | Latin | rĕ- | back, backwards |
| 4 | Latin | prōdūcō | to lead or bring forth, forward or out |
| 5 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |