respite
UK[ˈrɛspaɪt]US[ˈrɛspɪt]
n
a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant
n
a short delay allowed before something difficult or unpleasant must be done
Etymology
The word 'respite' entered English in the 13th century from the Anglo-Norman and Old French term respit, meaning "delay, respect, or place of refuge." This French word itself descended from the Latin respectus, meaning "a looking back, consideration, or regard," which is the past participle of respicere ("to look back at, regard"). The core Latin verb is composed of re- ("back") and specere ("to look"). The semantic journey from the literal "act of looking back" to the modern meaning of "a temporary break" is logical: a pause allows one to "look back" or reconsider, and a refuge is a place one regards for safety. Over time, the primary sense shifted from the act of consideration to the period of relief or postponement itself.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword from Anglo-Norman and Old French. It cannot be meaningfully segmented into productive morphemes within modern English spelling.
Examples
The weekend provided a brief respite from the intense work week.
The judge granted the condemned man a last-minute respite.
There was no respite from the relentless rain.