English
resolution
Resolution comes from Middle English resolucioun ‘dissolution’, from Anglo-Norman resolucion or Latin resolūtiō ‘a loosening’, from resolvō ‘to loosen’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsolvō‘to loosen, untie’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEresolvō‘to release, loosen’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEresolūtiō‘untying, loosening’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500resolucioun‘dissolution’
- Englishearliest quotation 2013resolution
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsolvō‘to loosen, untie’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEresolvō‘to release, loosen’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEresolūtiō‘untying, loosening’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500resolucioun‘dissolution’
- Englishearliest quotation 2013resolution
Earliest quotation: 2013, -August, American Scientist: “The single-imaging optic of the mammalian eye offers some…”
The story
Recorded since 1412, as Middle English resolucioun (‘dissolution’), either from Anglo-Norman resolucion or directly from Latin resolūtiō (‘a loosening, solution’), from resolvō (‘to loosen’), itself from the intensive prefix re- + solvō (‘to loosen’).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- ‘to cut off, release’
lose, analysis, lease, analyst, paralysis, dialysis, palsy, paralyze, lysis, insoluble, paralytic, loess, 28 more
through Latin solvō ‘to loosen’
so, solve, sol, soluble, dissolution, absolution, 10 more
Today it means
noun A firm decision or an official decision.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin solvō / resolution