Dictionary

1respite

noun re·spite \ˈres-pət also ri-ˈspīt, British usually ˈres-ˌpīt\

: a short period of time when you are able to stop doing something that is difficult or unpleasant or when something difficult or unpleasant stops or is delayed

Full Definition of RESPITE

1
:  a period of temporary delay
2
:  an interval of rest or relief
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Examples of RESPITE

  1. But in the middle of each semester there came a short respite, separate from the traditional holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. —Martha Southgate, The Fall of Rome, 2002

Origin of RESPITE

Middle English respit, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin respectus, from Latin, act of looking back — more at respect
First Known Use: 13th century

Rhymes with RESPITE

affright, air right, airtight, albite, Albright, alight, all right, all-night, a mite, aright, backbite, backlight, bauxite, bedight, birthright, black light, bleed white, bobwhite, bombsight, box kite, calcite, campsite, catfight, cockfight, contrite, cordite, Cushite, daylight, deadlight, delight, dendrite, despite, dogfight, downlight, downright, droplight, dust mite, earthlight, excite, eyebright, eyesight, fanlight, felsite, ferrite, finite, fire blight, firefight, firelight, first night, fistfight, flashlight, fleabite, floodlight, foresight, forthright, fortnight, freewrite, frostbite, Gadite, gall mite, gaslight, gastight, ghostwrite, goethite, graphite, green light, gummite, gunfight, half-light, halite, Hamite, handwrite, headlight, highlight, hindsight, Hittite, homesite, hoplite, Hussite, ignite, illite, infight, in-flight, incite, indict, indite, insight, in sight, invite, jacklight, jadeite, key light, lamplight, late blight, leucite, Levite, lighttight, lignite, limelight, lintwhite, lowlight, Lucite, Luddite, lyddite, marmite, Melchite, Memphite, midnight, millwright, moonlight, New Right, night-light, nitrite, off-site, off-white, on sight, on-site, outright, outsight, partite, peep sight, penlight, perlite, playwright, polite, preflight, prizefight, pyrite, quartzite, ratite, recite, red light, red-light, requite, rewrite, rushlight, rust mite, safelight, samite, searchlight, Semite, Servite, Shemite, Shiite, shipwright, sidelight, sit tight, skintight, skylight, skywrite, slant height, smectite, snakebite, snow-white, sound bite, spaceflight, spotlight, stage fright, starlight, sternite, sticktight, stoplight, streetlight, stylite, sulfite, sunlight, Sunnite, taillight, termite, thermite, tonight, torchlight, trothplight, Twelfth Night, twilight, twi-night, typewrite, unite, unsight, upright, uptight, wainwright, watch night, wax light, Web site, weeknight, wheelwright, white flight, white knight, x-height, zinc white

2respite

verb re·spite \ˈres-pət also ri-ˈspīt, British usually ˈres-ˌpīt\
re·spit·edre·spit·ing

Definition of RESPITE

transitive verb
1
:  to grant a temporary period of relief to :  grant a respite to
2
:  put off, delay

Origin of RESPITE

(see 1respite)
First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with RESPITE

3respite

adjective re·spite \ˈres-pət also ri-ˈspīt, British usually ˈres-ˌpīt\

Definition of RESPITE

:  providing or being temporary care in relief of a primary caregiver <respite care> <a respite worker>

Origin of RESPITE

(see 1respite)
First Known Use: 1978
RESPITE Defined for Kids

respite

noun res·pite \ˈre-spət\

Definition of RESPITE for Kids

1
:  a short delay
2
:  a period of rest or relief <Matthias was glad of the brief respite after all the excitement. — Brian Jacques, Redwall>

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