different between tranquility vs relaxation

English

Alternative forms

• tranquillity

Etymology

tranquil +? -ity, from Old French tranquilité, from Latin tranquilitas.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /træ??kw?l?ti/
• Hyphenation: tran?quil?li?ty

Noun

tranquility (usually uncountable, plural tranquilities)

1. the state of being tranquil
2. the absence of disturbance; peacefulness
3. the absence of stress; serenity
4. the quality of calm such as that experienced in places with mainly natural features and activities, free from disturbance from manmade ones.

Usage notes

• More common spelling in the US; less common in the UK.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:calm

Related terms

• tranquil
• tranquilize
• tranquily
• tranquilness

Translations

Further reading

• tranquillity in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• tranquility in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin relaxatio, relaxationis; equivalent to relax +? -ation.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /??ilæk?se???n/, /???læk?se???n/

Noun

relaxation (countable and uncountable, plural relaxations)

1. The act of relaxing or the state of being relaxed; the opposite of stress or tension; the aim of recreation and leisure activities.
2. A diminution of tone, tension, or firmness; specifically in pathology: a looseness; a diminution of the natural and healthy tone of parts.

   relaxation of the soft palate

3. Remission or abatement of rigor.
4. Remission of attention or application.

   relaxation of efforts

5. Unbending; recreation; a state or occupation intended to give mental or bodily relief after effort.
6. (physics) The transition of a nucleus, atom or molecule from a higher energy level to a lower one; the opposite of excitation
7. (music) The release following musical tension.

Derived terms

• dielectric relaxation
• letter of relaxation

Related terms

• relax
• relaxable
• relaxant
• relaxate
• relaxative

Translations

References

• relaxation in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.