palliative — relieving pain or alleviating a problem without dealing with the underlying cause
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: relieving pain or alleviating a problem without dealing with the underlying cause
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈpæliˌeɪtɪv/
Example Sentences
- His jokes were just palliative - they couldn't fix his broken heart, but at least made him smile temporarily.
- The free pizza at the office was a palliative gesture after announcing pay cuts.
- Her grandmother refused palliative care, saying she'd rather face reality than live in false comfort.
palliative
ADJECTIVE[/ˈpæliˌeɪtɪv/]
relieving pain or alleviating a problem without dealing with the underlying cause
Temporary relief, root cause ignored
A tentative doctor offers palliative care to a talkative patient
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'palliativus', derived from 'palliare' meaning 'to cloak or conceal', which comes from 'pallium' meaning 'cloak'. The word originally meant to cover up or hide rather than cure.
Breakdown
palliat- (from Latin pallium, cloak/cover) + -ive (adjective suffix) = palliative (serving to cloak or relieve without curing)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“His jokes were just palliative - they couldn't fix his broken heart, but at least made him smile temporarily.”
“The free pizza at the office was a palliative gesture after announcing pay cuts.”
“Her grandmother refused palliative care, saying she'd rather face reality than live in false comfort.”
“The company's free coffee machine was a palliative solution to the terrible work environment.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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