released
UK[rɪˈliːst]US[rɪˈliːst]
v
To allow a person or animal to be free, especially from a place where they have been kept
v
To let a substance or thing come out of the place where it has been held
v
To make information, a film, a recording, etc. available to the public
Morpheme Breakdown
re
lease
d
re
again
lease
to let go
d
past tense suffix
Etymology
The word "released" is built upon the core concept of "letting go," derived from the Latin verb laxare ("to loosen"). The prefix "re-" adds a sense of "back" or "again," implying a return to a state of freedom or looseness. Over time, the Old French form evolved into the English verb "lease," which originally meant "to let go or set free." The addition of the past tense suffix "-d" creates the specific form "released," which concretely describes the completed action of setting free, whether it be a person, a physical object, or information. Thus, the modern meaning retains the literal logic of loosening a restraint and allowing something to go back to its prior, unconfined state.
Analysis
Structure: re (again) + lease (to let go) + d (past tense suffix)
- re: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "again" or "back".
- lease: From Old French laissier, from Latin laxare ("to loosen, slacken"), from laxus ("loose, slack"). It functions as the core verb root meaning "to let go".
- d: Old English origin, a suffix indicating the past tense and past participle form of a regular verb.
Examples
The authorities released the prisoner after new evidence proved his innocence.
The factory was fined for releasing toxic chemicals into the river.
The band will release their new album next month.