repose

Repose is a term with several related meanings centered on rest, stillness, and calm. As a noun, it most often denotes a state of rest, sleep, or tranquility—a period when activity ceases and the body or mind is at ease. It can also refer to calm or composure, as in the repose of a mind under stress. In more specific uses, repose can indicate the position in which something lies or rests, and in funerary or literary contexts it may describe the period during which a body lies in state before burial or the soul rests after death, as in the phrase “lie in repose.”

As a verb, repose means to place something in a particular position or to place confidence or trust in someone: for example, to repose confidence in a colleague. It can also mean to lean or rest weight on something. The term is formal and somewhat literary, and its verb sense extends from physical resting to figurative trust and dependence.

Usage and context often determine the tone. Repose is commonly found in poetry, obituaries, ceremonial writing, and other formal prose. Phrases such as “in quiet repose,” “the body lies in repose,” or “repose of the mind” are typical. The word carries nuances of dignity, stillness, and a deliberate pause.

Etymology traces repose to Old French reposer, from Latin reponere, meaning to lay back or put away. It remains closely associated with themes of rest, serenity, and trust.