1520s, from Middle French laxité, from Latin laxitatem (nominative laxitas) "width, spaciousness," from laxus "loose, lax" (see lax). An earlier noun was laxation (late 14c.). Laxness is from 1630s.
lawrencium
lawsuit
lawyer
lax
laxative
laxity
lay
layabout
lay-away
layer
layette