just-released
UK[ˌdʒʌst rɪˈliːst]US[ˌdʒʌst rɪˈliːst]
adj
Having been made available or published very recently.
Morpheme Breakdown
just
released
just
sense
released
sense
Etymology
The compound adjective 'just-released' is a modern English formation that transparently combines two elements to denote immediacy. The adverb 'just', with its core sense of exactness and recency derived from its Latin root meaning 'lawful' or 'correct', is used to intensify the temporal aspect. The second element, 'released', originates from the concept of loosening or setting free, evolving in commercial and media contexts to mean making a product or information available to the public. The logic of the word is straightforward: it literally describes something that has been 'set free' or 'made available' 'exactly' or 'very recently', creating a concise label for newness in publications, software, or media.
Analysis
Structure: just (sense) + released (sense)
- just: From Latin iustus (righteous, lawful), via Old French. In this compound, it functions as an intensifying adverb meaning 'very recently' or 'only a moment ago'.
- released: From Latin relaxare (to loosen), via Old French relaissier. It is the past participle of the verb 'release', meaning 'set free' or 'made available'. In this adjective, it indicates the state of having been made public or issued.
Examples
The band's just-released single is already topping the charts.
Journalists were given a preview of the just-released government report.
I'm reading the just-released biography of the famous scientist.