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ENGLISH · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

release.

The event of setting (someone or something) free (e.g. hostages, slaves, prisoners, caged animals, hooked or stuck mechanisms).

7 characters2 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

noun/ɹəˈliːs//ɹɪˈliːs//ɹiˈliːs/
  1. The event of setting (someone or something) free (e.g. hostages, slaves, prisoners, caged animals, hooked or stuck mechanisms).

    countable · uncountable
  2. The distribution, either public or private, of an initial or new and upgraded version of a computer software product.

    countable · uncountable
  3. Anything recently released or made available (as for sale).

    countable · uncountable
    The video store advertised that it had all the latest releases.
  4. That which is released, untied or let go.

    countable · uncountable
    They marked the occasion with a release of butterflies.
  5. The giving up of a claim, especially a debt.

    countable · uncountable
  6. Liberation from pain or suffering.

    countable · uncountable
  7. The process by which a chemical substance is set free.

    countable · uncountable
  8. The act or manner of ending a sound.

    countable · uncountable
  9. In the block system, a printed card conveying information and instructions to be used at intermediate sidings without telegraphic stations.

    countable · historical · uncountable
  10. A device adapted to hold or release a device or mechanism as required. A catch on a motor-starting rheostat, which automatically releases the rheostat arm and so stops the motor in case of a break in the field circuit.

    countable · uncountable
  11. A device adapted to hold or release a device or mechanism as required. The catch on an electromagnetic circuit breaker for a motor, triggered in the event of an overload.

    countable · uncountable
  12. A device adapted to hold or release a device or mechanism as required. The lever or button on a camera that opens the shutter to allow a photograph to be taken.

    countable · uncountable
  13. Orgasm.

    countable · uncountable
    She quivered in release.
  14. Discharged semen

    countable · uncountable
  15. A kind of bridge used in jazz music.

    countable · uncountable
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Proto-Italic *wre- Latin re-der. Old French re- Proto-Indo-European *(s)leg- Proto-Indo-European *(s)leg-s-ós Latin laxus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin laxō Vulgar Latin *laxicāre Vulgar Latin *lassicāre Old French laschier Old French relaschier Old French relaisserbor. Middle English relesen English release From Middle English relesen, relessen, from Old French relaisser (variant of relascher).

verb/ɹəˈliːs//ɹɪˈliːs//ɹiˈliːs/
  1. To let go of; to cease to hold or contain.

    transitive
    He released his grasp on the lever.
  2. To make available to the public.

    transitive
    They released the new product later than intended.
  3. To free or liberate; to set free.

    transitive
    He was released after two years in prison.
  4. To discharge.

    transitive
    They released thousands of gallons of water into the river each month.
  5. (of a call) To hang up.

    transitive
    If you continue to use abusive language, I will need to release the call.
  6. To let go, quit (a legal claim); to discharge or relinquish a right to (lands or buildings) by conveying to another who has some right or estate in possession.

    transitive
  7. To loosen; to relax; to remove the obligation of.

    transitive
  8. To set up; to provide with a goalscoring opportunity.

    transitive
  9. To set free a chemical substance.

  10. To launch; to come out; to become available.

    intransitive
    when the game releases
    the new model will release on ...
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Proto-Italic *wre- Latin re-der. Old French re- Proto-Indo-European *(s)leg- Proto-Indo-European *(s)leg-s-ós Latin laxus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin laxō Vulgar Latin *laxicāre Vulgar Latin *lassicāre Old French laschier Old French relaschier Old French relaisserbor. Middle English relesen English release From Middle English relesen, relessen, from Old French relaisser (variant of relascher).

verb/ɹiːˈliːs/
  1. To lease again; to grant a new lease of; to let back.

    transitive
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Proto-Italic *wre- Latin re-der. Old French re-bor. Middle English re- English re- English lease English release From re- + lease.

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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.