relay

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈɹiːleɪ/ UK /ˌɹiːˈleɪ/ See IPA manual

Freq #9743

Meanings

1

verb
To pass on a message or piece of information to someone else.

Please relay the news to the rest of the team.
2

noun
A race between teams in which each member runs or swims one part in turn.

Our school won the 400-metre relay at the sports day.
3

noun
An electrical device that uses a small current to switch a larger one on or off.

A faulty relay was stopping the motor from starting.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · a race between teams in... relay race

3 noun · an electrical device that... electrical relay

Word family

Forms relaidrelayedrelayingrelays

Derived forms misrelaynanorelayphosphorelay

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

electrical relay
a device that uses current in one circuit to switch another circuit

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Relay is recorded from the late Middle English period and is traced here ultimately to Latin laxus, meaning “loose” or “lax.”

Etymology

From Middle French relai (“reserve pack of hounds”), from relaier (“to exchange tired animals for fresh”); literally, "to leave behind", from Old French relaier (“to leave behind”), from re- + laier (“to leave”), of uncertain origin.

relai Middle French relaier Old French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# relay

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈɹiːleɪ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌɹiːˈleɪ/
**Frequency rank:** 9743

## Meanings
1. To pass on a message or piece of information to someone else.
2. A race between teams in which each member runs or swims one part in turn.
3. An electrical device that uses a small current to switch a larger one on or off.

## Examples
- Please relay the news to the rest of the team.
- Our school won the 400-metre relay at the sports day.
- A faulty relay was stopping the motor from starting.

## Derived Forms
- misrelay
- nanorelay
- phosphorelay

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: relai
- Root: relaier

## Etymology
From Middle French relai (“reserve pack of hounds”), from relaier (“to exchange tired animals for fresh”); literally, "to leave behind", from Old French relaier (“to leave behind”), from re- + laier (“to leave”), of uncertain origin.

## AI Etymology
Relay comes from Middle French relai (“reserve pack of hounds”), from relaier (“to exchange tired animals for fresh”); literally, "to leave behind", from Old French relaier (“to leave behind”), from re- + laier (“to leave”), of uncertain origin. Modern senses include to pass on a message or piece of information to someone else. and a race between teams in which each member runs or swims one part in turn.. The wider word family includes derivatives such as misrelay, nanorelay, and phosphorelay.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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