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conciliate

[kuh n-sil-ee-eyt]
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verb (used with object), con·cil·i·at·ed, con·cil·i·at·ing.
  1. to overcome the distrust or hostility of; placate; win over: to conciliate an angry competitor.
  2. to win or gain (goodwill, regard, or favor).
  3. to make compatible; reconcile.
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verb (used without object), con·cil·i·at·ed, con·cil·i·at·ing.
  1. to become agreeable or reconciled: Efforts to conciliate in the dispute proved fruitless.
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Origin of conciliate

1540–50; < Latin conciliātus (past participle of conciliāre to bring together, unite, equivalent to concili(um) council + -ātus -ate1
Related formscon·cil·i·a·ble [kuh n-sil-ee-uh-buh l] /kənˈsɪl i ə bəl/, adjectivecon·cil·i·at·ing·ly, adverbcon·cil·i·a·tion, nounnon·con·cil·i·at·ing, adjectivepro·con·cil·i·a·tion, adjectiveun·con·cil·i·a·ble, adjectiveun·con·cil·i·at·ed, adjectiveun·con·cil·i·at·ing, adjective

Synonym study

1. See appease.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for conciliating

Historical Examples

  • Your notion of conciliating them is to start getting ready to fight them!

    Changing Winds

    St. John G. Ervine

  • Old Man Curry's tone was apologetic and conciliating in the extreme.

    Old Man Curry

    Charles E. (Charles Emmett) Van Loan

  • His demeanor changed; from conciliating it was of a sudden transformed to indignant.

    The Lion's Skin

    Rafael Sabatini

  • However, he checked the impulse and spoke in a conciliating tone.

  • I assured him of the truth of his observation in a most conciliating tone.

    Jack Hinton

    Charles James Lever

British Dictionary definitions for conciliating

conciliate

verb (tr)
  1. to overcome the hostility of; placate; win over
  2. to win or gain (favour, regard, etc), esp by making friendly overtures
  3. archaic to make compatible; reconcile
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Derived Formsconciliable, adjectiveconciliator, noun

Word Origin

C16: from Latin conciliāre to bring together, from concilium council
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for conciliating

conciliate

v.

1540s, from Latin conciliatus, past participle of conciliare "to bring together, unite in feelings, make friendly," from concilium "council" (see council). Related: Conciliated; conciliating.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper