'assoluto' originates from Italian, specifically the word 'assoluto', ultimately from Latin 'absolūtus' (past participle of 'absolvere'), where 'ab-' meant 'away' and 'solvere' meant 'to loosen or release'.

'assoluto' changed from the Latin word 'absolūtus' through Vulgar Latin and early Italian to become the modern Italian 'assoluto'. (Related English forms such as 'absolute' came to English via Old French and Latin.)

Initially in Latin 'absolūtus' carried the sense 'loosened, released' (literally 'made free'); over time this developed into the sense 'complete, free from qualification' and into the modern meaning 'absolute' or 'unconditional'.