palliative
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of palliative
From the French word palliatif, dating back to 1535–45. See palliate, -ive
Explanation
That which is palliative relieves and soothes, but isn’t expected to cure. A heating pack is a commonly employed palliative for temporarily reducing the pain of strained muscles. From the French palliatif, which in turn came from the Middle Latin palliates, palliative was first recorded as an adjective in the 1540’s, and then later as a noun in 1724. To palliate is to alleviate without curing, so it makes sense that a palliative is the agent for this type of relief. “Life as we find it, is too hard for us: it brings us too many pains, disappointments and impossible tasks,” said the founder of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud. “In order to bear it, we cannot dispense with palliative measures…”
Vocabulary lists containing palliative
The Kite Runner
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Educated
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100 SAT words Beginning with "P"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The group is calling for more funding for palliative care so "no one feels pressured to end their lives simply because they are not receiving the medical help they deserve".
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
He said palliative care was "not in the strong position it should be".
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026
In Wetherby, Martin House Children's Hospice provides palliative care and respite for children and young people who have serious illnesses.
From BBC ● May 27, 2026
Theisen sees the issue somewhat differently in her work with palliative care patients facing life-limiting illnesses.
From Science Daily ● May 15, 2026
She drew close to Úrsula, trusting that she would know of some palliative for her attacks.
From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
