respite

1 of 3

noun

re·​spite ˈre-spət 

 also  ri-ˈspīt,

 British usually  ˈre-ˌspīt

1

: a period of temporary delay

2

: an interval of rest or relief

respite

2 of 3

verb

respited; respiting

transitive verb

1

: to grant a temporary period of relief to : grant a respite to

2

: put off, delay

respite

3 of 3

adjective

: providing or being temporary care in relief of a primary caregiver

respite care

a respite worker

Did you know?

Respite Has Latin Roots

Everyone needs a little R & R from time to time. That's where respite comes in handy: this word was first used in the 14th century to refer to a delay or extension asked for or granted for a specific reason, such as to give someone time to deliberate on a proposal. This kind of respite offered an opportunity for the kind of consideration inherent in this word's etymology: respite traces from the Latin term respectus (also the source of English's respect), which comes from respicere, a verb with both concrete and abstract meanings: "to turn around to look at" or "to regard." Within a few decades of its earliest known use, English speakers had granted respite the sense we use most often today—"a welcome break."

Examples of respite in a Sentence

Noun

But in the middle of each semester there came a short respite, separate from the traditional holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. —Martha Southgate, The Fall of Rome, 2002

Six years more of toil they had to face before they could expect the least respite, the cessation of the payments upon the house … —Upton Sinclair, The Jungle, 1906

The laborer's day ends with the going down of the sun … but his employer, who speculates from month to month, has no respite from one end of the year to the other. —Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854

The bad weather has continued without respite.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Physical stores offer a welcome respite—a chance to disconnect from the digital world and engage with products and brands on a sensory level. —Yuriy Boykiv, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

Anne Applebaum: Putin isn’t fighting for land in Ukraine Ukrainians know that any deal worked out by Trump and Putin is likely to be a respite rather than a resolution, and that knowledge carries its own psychic burden. —Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2024

Adjective

By insuring an additional 15 million people in or near poverty — the main risk pool for homelessness — the Medicaid expansion that started with the Affordable Care Act of 2010 gave respite programs new ways to recover costs. —Jason Deparle, New York Times, 10 June 2024

But on respite night, they are encouraged to lead the way, buddies following their whims. —Linda Friedel, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun, Verb, and Adjective

Middle English respit, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin respectus, from Latin, act of looking back — more at respect

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1978, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

respite

noun

re·​spite

ˈres-pət,

 also  ri-ˈspīt

1

: a short delay : postponement

2

: a period of rest or relief

Legal Definition

respite

noun

res·​pite ˈres-pət, ri-ˈspīt 

in the civil law of Louisiana : a judicially approved or enforced agreement that provides a debtor with time or a delay for the payment of creditors