Reluctance
mid 17th century (in the sense ‘writhing, offering opposition’): from Latin reluctant- ‘struggling against’, from the verb reluctari, from re- (expressing intensive force) + luctari ‘to struggle’.
wiktionary
From reluct + -ance
etymonline
reluctance (n.)
1640s, "act of struggling against;" 1660s, "unwillingness, aversion;" from the obsolete verb reluct "to strive, struggle, or rebel against" (15c.), from Latin reluctari, reluctare "to struggle against, resist, make opposition," from re- "back, against, in opposition" (see re-) + luctari "to struggle, wrestle," from Proto-Italic *lukto-, from PIE *lug-to- "bent" (source also of Old Irish foloing "supports," inloing "connects;" Middle Welsh ellwng- "to set free;" Greek lygos "withy, pliant twig," lygizein "to bend, twist;" Gothic galukan "to shut," uslukan "to open;" Old English locc "twist of hair."
Related: Reluctancy (1620s.); Bacon (1605) has reluctation.
