Relocating

How to spell relocating

10 letters · 4 syllables

How to pronounce relocating

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does relocating mean?

1. verbMoving a person, household, or business from one place to another.

Relocating in a sentence

• The firm is relocating its head office to a cheaper part of the city.

• They are relocating to be closer to her elderly parents.

Where does relocating come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word traces back to the Latin noun locus, meaning simply 'a place' or 'a spot', which also gives us 'location', 'local', and 'locomotive'. From locus came the Latin verb locare, 'to place or set down', and English built the verb 'locate' on that root. The prefix re-, meaning 'again' or 'back', was attached to form 'relocate', literally 'to place again' or 'to settle in a new spot'. 'Relocate' is a relatively modern formation, becoming common in the twentieth century, especially in the language of business and employment as companies began moving staff between offices. The present participle 'relocating' simply adds the -ing ending, and the single c (never a double) plus the soft middle vowel are the spots where writers most often hesitate.

How the word is built

• re- (again, back)
• loc (place, from Latin locus)
• -ate (verb-forming)
• -ing (present participle)