relay

1 of 3

noun

re·​lay ˈrē-ˌlā 

1

a

: a supply (as of horses) arranged beforehand for successive relief

b

: a number of persons who relieve others in some work

worked in relays around the clock

2

a

: a race between teams in which each team member successively covers a specified portion of the course

b

: one of the divisions of a relay

3

: an electromagnetic device for remote or automatic control that is actuated by variation in conditions of an electric circuit and that operates in turn other devices (such as switches) in the same or a different circuit

4

: servomotor

5

: the act of passing along (something, such as a message or ball) by stages

also : one of such stages

relay

2 of 3

verb (1)

re·​lay ˈrē-ˌlā  ri-ˈlā 

relayed; relaying

transitive verb

1

a

: to place or dispose in relays

b

: to provide with relays

2

: to pass along by relays

news was relayed to distant points

3

: to control or operate by a relay

relay

3 of 3

verb (2)

re·​lay (ˌ)rē-ˈlā 

relaid (ˌ)rē-ˈlād  ; relaying

transitive verb

: to lay again

relay track

Examples of relay in a Sentence

Noun

Our relay team is training for next weekend's race.

a satellite relay of a television signal

We set up a relay to carry buckets of water to the campsite.

They worked in relays to clear the rubble.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

On Sunday, Walsh qualified for the final in the 100 fly but was then removed from the relay and replaced by Erin Gemmell. —Zack Pierce, New York Times, 28 July 2025

Taylor-Brown won gold at the 2020 World Triathlon Championships and has three Olympic medals, including a 2020 gold medal in mixed relay. —Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 July 2025

Verb

Sheriff’s Office personnel will take the caller’s name and number and relay it to the State Police for a return call. —Arkansas Online, 29 July 2025

At the time, Volpe said safety concerns should be relayed first to Recreation Center staff onsite, though urgent issues warrant a call to 911 or the police non-emergency line. —Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, set of fresh hounds, from relayen

Verb (1)

Middle English, to release a set of fresh hounds, take a fresh horse, from Middle French relaier, from re- + laier to let go, leave — more at delay

Verb (2)

re- + lay entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

1757, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing relay

• medley relay

Rhymes for relay

• airway
• allay
• archway
• array
• ashtray
• astray
• aue
• away
• ballet
• belay
• beltway
• beret

Kids Definition

relay

1 of 3 noun

re·​lay ˈrē-ˌlā 

1

: a fresh supply (as of horses or people) arranged to relieve others

2

a

: a race between teams in which each team member covers an assigned part of the course

b

: one of the divisions of a relay

3

: an electromagnetic device in which the opening or closing of one circuit operates another device (as a switch in another circuit)

4

: the act of passing along (as a message or a ball) by stages

also : one of such stages

the shortstop's relay from center field was too late to catch the runner

relay

2 of 3 verb

re·​lay ˈrē-ˌlā  ri-ˈlā 

relayed; relaying

1

a

: to place or arrange in relays

b

: to provide with relays

2

: to pass along by stages

news was relayed by satellites

relay

3 of 3 verb

re·​lay (ˈ)rē-ˈlā 

relaid -ˈlād  ; relaying

: to lay again