Remits

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

  1. To send money or payment in settlement of a debt | To cancel or refrain from exacting, especially a punishment or penalty | The act of transferring or assigning a commitment or responsibility to another party
  2. To send funds as a payment for an obligation | To refrain from enforcing a punishment or obligation | To delegate a duty or responsibility to someone else
  3. To transfer funds as payment for a debt | To excuse or forgo the enforcement of penalties | To assign a task or obligation to another individual or group

Etymology: The term "remit" has a rich history that traces back to the Latin "remittere," which means "to send back" or "to release." This compound word is formed from the prefix "re-", indicating "back," and "mittere," which means "to send." The evolution of this term into the English language occurred in the 15th century, with its first recorded usage appearing in texts around that time. Initially, it was used in a legal context to denote sending back a case to a lower court or authority, tying closely to its Latin roots. As the word made its way into Middle English, it retained this legal connotation while also adopting broader meanings. By the time it was firmly established in the language, "remit" had come to represent the act of overlooking or forgiving a debt or obligation. This shift in meaning from a literal sense of sending back to an abstract sense of forgiving illustrates the flexibility of language and the influence of legal and economic contexts on word usage. In modern English, the verb has expanded further to encompass a variety of contexts, including the act of sending money, especially in terms of remittances, which are funds sent back home by workers abroad. This contemporary usage reflects a significant evolution from its original context, emphasizing the interconnectedness of people across borders and the role of financial transactions in global culture. The journey of "remit," from its Latin origins to its modern applications, showcases the dynamic nature of language and how words can adapt to meet the needs of society.

Synonyms: transfers, sends, forwards, dispatches, conveys