mitigation
[mit-i-gey-shuh n]
- the act of mitigating, or lessening the force or intensity of something unpleasant, as wrath, pain, grief, or extreme circumstances: Social support is the most important factor in the mitigation of stress among adolescents.
- the act of making a condition or consequence less severe: the mitigation of a punishment.
- the process of becoming milder, gentler, or less severe.
- a mitigating circumstance, event, or consequence.
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mitigate
[mit-i-geyt]
- to lessen in force or intensity, as wrath, grief, harshness, or pain; moderate.
- to make less severe: to mitigate a punishment.
- to make (a person, one's state of mind, disposition, etc.) milder or more gentle; mollify; appease.
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- to become milder; lessen in severity.
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Origin of mitigate
1375–1425; late Middle English mitigaten < Latin mītigātus (past participle of mītigāre to calm, soften, soothe), equivalent to mīt(is) mild, soft, gentle + -ig- (combining form of agere to do, cause to do, make) + -ātus -ate1
Usage note
Mitigate, whose central meaning is “to lessen” or “to make less severe,” is sometimes confused with militate, which means “to have effect or influence; weigh on.” This mix-up often occurs in the use of the phrase mitigate against, as follows: This criticism in no way mitigates (read militates ) against your going ahead with your research. Although this use of mitigate occasionally occurs in edited writing, it is rare and is widely regarded as an error.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for mitigations
Historical Examples
There yet remains the grateful duty of speaking of the mitigations of our trials.
Glances at EuropeHorace Greeley
But her mind was far from Bertram and the mitigations he offered.
Amabel ChanniceAnne Douglas Sedgwick
Many alterations and mitigations were proposed, without effect.
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.II.Tobias Smollett
There are, in short, mitigations of their lot, and possibly excuses for their existence.
Double HarnessAnthony Hope
Its condemnation does not take the least heed of mitigations.
The EddyClarence L. Cullen
mitigate
- to make or become less severe or harsh; moderate
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Word Origin
C15: from Latin mītigāre, from mītis mild + agere to make
usage
Mitigate is sometimes wrongly used where militate is meant: his behaviour militates (not mitigates) against his chances of promotion
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 mitigations
mitigate
v.
early 15c., "relieve (pain)," from Latin mitigatus, past participle of mitigare "soften, make tender, ripen, mellow, tame," figuratively, "make mild or gentle, pacify, soothe," ultimately from mitis "gentle, soft" (from PIE *mei- "mild") + root of agere "do, make, act" (see act). First element is from PIE root *mei- "soft, mild." Related: Mitigated; mitigating; mitigates.
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mitigation
n.
mid-14c., from Latin mitigationem (nominative mitigatio), noun of action from past participle stem of mitigare (see mitigate).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
mitigate
(mĭt′ĭ-gāt′)- To moderate in force or intensity.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.