releasable
|re-lease-a-ble|
/rɪˈliːsəbəl/
able to be released
Etymology
'releasable' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'relaxare', where 're-' meant 'again/away' and 'laxare' meant 'to loosen'.
'releasable' changed from Old French 'relasser' (later French 'relâcher') and Middle English forms related to 'relesen' which became the verb 'release'; the adjective was formed by adding the suffix '-able' to produce 'releasable'.
Initially it meant 'to loosen or relax', but over time it evolved into the sense 'to set free or make available'; 'releasable' now means 'able to be released'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
capable of being set free or discharged from confinement or restraint.
The hostages were not considered releasable until negotiations progressed.
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Adjective 2
able to be made public or disclosed (often used of documents, information, or records).
Some files are not releasable due to privacy laws.
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Last updated: 2025/09/22 22:02