relief vs respite

relief and respite both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
relief	Yes	No	No	No
respite	Yes	No	Yes	No

As nouns, respite is a hyponym of relief; that is, respite is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than relief:

relief: the condition of being comfortable or relieved (especially after being relieved of distress)
respite: a (temporary) relief from harm or discomfort

Other hyponyms of relief include reprieve.

As nouns, relief and respite are synonyms defined as:

Other synonyms of relief include rest, rest period.

relief (noun)	respite (noun)
aid for the aged or indigent or handicapped	a pause from doing something (as work)
the act of reducing something unpleasant (as pain or annoyance)	the act of reprieving; postponing or remitting punishment
assistance in time of difficulty	an interruption in the intensity or amount of something
the act of freeing a city or town that has been besieged	a (temporary) relief from harm or discomfort
sculpture consisting of shapes carved on a surface so as to stand out from the surrounding background	a pause for relaxation
a change for the better
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
someone who takes the place of another (as when things get dangerous or difficult)
(law) redress awarded by a court
the condition of being comfortable or relieved (especially after being relieved of distress)
a pause for relaxation

relief (verb)	respite (verb)
	postpone the punishment of a convicted criminal, such as an execution