It's Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 9th.
Today's word is respite, spelled R-E-S-P-I-T-E.
Respite is a noun.
It refers to a short period of time when someone is able to stop doing something that is difficult or unpleasant,
or when something difficult or unpleasant stops or is delayed.
Here's the word used in a sentence from the Dallas Morning News.
Shaded spots are necessary for a respite from the North Texas Sun.
If your deck or patio isn't covered,
add a stylish umbrella to the mix.
Everyone needs a little R&R from time to time.
That's where the word respite comes in handy.
This word was first used in the 14th century to refer to a delay or extension asked for or granted for a specific reason,
such as to give someone time to deliberate on a proposal.
This kind of respite offered an opportunity for the kind of consideration inherent in the words etymology.
Respite traces from the Latin term respectus, also the source of the English word respect.
which comes from respiccarei, a verb with both concrete and abstract meanings,
to turn around to look at or to regard.
Within a few decades of its earliest known use, English speakers had granted respite,
the sense we most often use today, a welcome break.
With your word of the day, I'm Peter Sokolowski.