relation (English)

Where does "relation" come from?

The English noun relation comes from Middle English 'relacion'[1], which was influenced by Anglo-Norman and Old French 'relacion'[1]. These forms trace back to Latin 'relātiō', a noun of process formed from the participle 'relātus'[1], itself from the verb 'referō'[1]. The verb 'referō' combines the prefix 're-' meaning 'again' with 'ferō'[1], a Latin verb meaning 'to bear or carry'[4]. The deeper roots of 'ferō' reach back through Proto-Italic to Proto-Indo-European roots including '*bʰer-' and '*telh₂-', both signifying bearing or carrying[4][6][7].

Open questions

• The perfect stem and the stem of lātus in Latin are traced back to reconstructed Proto-Indo-European roots like '*telh₂-' and '*tl̥h₂tós'. [4] [7] [8]

Full etymology tree

• relation (English), 'The manner in which two things may be associated.'
  • inherited relacion (Middle English)
    • borrowed relacioun (Anglo-Norman)
      • inherited relatio (Latin), 'carrying or bringing back'
        • derived relatus (Latin), 'narration (telling of events)'
          • derived refero (Latin), 'to bear, bring, drive, or carry back, off, or away'
            • prefix re- (Latin), 'back, backwards'
            • compound fero (Latin), 'to consider'
              • inherited *ferō (Proto-Italic), 'to carry, bear'
                • inherited *bʰéreti (Proto-Indo-European), 'to be carrying'
    • borrowed relacion (Old French)
      • inherited relatio (Latin), 'carrying or bringing back'
        • derived relatus (Latin), 'narration (telling of events)'
          • derived refero (Latin), 'to bear, bring, drive, or carry back, off, or away'
            • prefix re- (Latin), 'back, backwards'
            • compound fero (Latin), 'to consider'
              • inherited *ferō (Proto-Italic), 'to carry, bear'
                • inherited *bʰéreti (Proto-Indo-European), 'to be carrying'

Ancestors

• relatio (Latin)

Cognates and doublets

• relazione (English)
• relation (French)

Descendants and derived words

• adult relations (English)
• binary relation (English)
• blood relation (English)
• Clausius-Clapeyron relation (English)
• co-relation (English)
• corelation (English)
• disrelation (English)
• elbow relation (English)
• equivalence relation (English)
• false relation (English)
• grandrelation (English)
• guest relation officer (English)

Sources

1. relation (English) - Wiktionary
2. relatio (Latin) - Wiktionary
3. refero (Latin) - Wiktionary
4. fero (Latin) - Wiktionary
5. ferō (Proto-Italic) - Wiktionary
6. bʰéreti (Proto-Indo-European) - Wiktionary
7. tetólh₂e (Proto-Indo-European) - Wiktionary
8. tl̥h₂tós (Proto-Indo-European) - Wiktionary
9. relatus (Latin) - Wiktionary

Updated September 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris