palliate
verb
Did you know?
Long ago, the ancient Romans had a name for the cloak-like garb that was worn by the Greeks (distinguishing it from their own toga); the name was pallium. In the 15th century, English speakers modified the Late Latin word palliatus, which derives from pallium, to form palliate. Our term, used initially as both an adjective and a verb, never had the literal Latin sense referring to the cloak you wear, but it took on the figurative "cloak" of protection. Specifically, the verb palliate meant (as it still can mean) "to lessen the intensity of a disease." The related adjective palliative describes medical care that focuses on relieving pain or discomfort rather than administering a cure.
Synonyms
Examples of palliate in a Sentence
Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 1 Oct. 2024
Senior-home avatars who are designed to palliate dementia patients in their darkest days.
—Longreads, 12 Apr. 2024
By the very nature of their profession, they are given entry into the universal kingdom of the sick, a place where all are united by a desire to palliate suffering.
—Sushrut Jangi, Foreign Affairs, 7 Dec. 2014
Long hours of sitting masquerade as wellness, insecurity is palliated by snacks, and flexibility’s just another name for no time of your own.
—Curbed, 4 Jan. 2023
Rhys drank heavily to palliate her burdens, and was known for tirades and other skunky behavior.
—New York Times, 20 June 2022
The friends are teen-agers, both outcasts of a kind, lonely and looking for ways to palliate their solitude.
—The New Yorker, 2 May 2022
Those would likely be limited to economic benefits to palliate the loss of crops and revenues for farmers.
—Emilio Morenatti, ajc, 13 Feb. 2022
In an effort to palliate these advocates, legislators offered a work-around, passing legislation to relax the restrictions on bail funds, allowing them to post higher bails and to bail out people facing Class-A felony charges.
—Nick Pinto, The New Republic, 6 Apr. 2020
Dictionary Entries Near palliate
Cite this Entry
“Palliate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/palliate. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
palliate
verb
Medical Definition
palliate
transitive verb
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