relay
relay Lexical Profile
relay Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A sporting event, such as a running or swimming race, in which teams of athletes compete and each member completes a portion of the total distance.
"Our school's track team won the gold medal in the four-by-one-hundred-meter relay."
An electrical or electronic device that uses a low-current signal to control a much larger current in a separate circuit.
"The mechanic had to replace the faulty starter relay to fix the car's ignition issue."
A group of people or animals engaged in a demanding task for a period of time before being replaced by a fresh group.
"Rescue workers worked in relays around the clock to carefully clear the earthquake debris."
• verb
To receive and pass on information, a message, or instructions to someone else.
"The ambassador will relay your concerns directly to the prime minister during their next meeting."
To broadcast a signal, television program, or radio transmission by receiving it and re-transmitting it.
"The communications satellite was positioned to relay the live broadcast to viewers across Europe and Asia."
Word Nuance & Usage
Take care not to confuse 'relay' (to pass along a message or signal) with 're-lay' (to lay something down again, such as carpet or track), which is typically hyphenated.
• Rhymes for relay
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old French 'relais' (noun) and 'relaier' (verb), originally referring to the supply of fresh horses or hounds kept at stages along a journey. Ultimately derived from Latin 'relaxare' (to loosen or stretch out).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.