Late Middle English. Partly from Anglo-Norman relievement, Anglo-Norman and Middle French relevement improvement, relief, redress (1377 in Anglo-Norman; French relèvement; earlier in senses ‘feudal relief’ and ‘resurrection’; from relever + -ment), and partly (especially in later use) from relieve + -ment. Compare post-classical Latin relevamentum feudal relief, and also Spanish relevamiento, Italian rilevamento, both in general sense ‘relief’.