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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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.
Tuppin Scrase said his wife died five years ago after receiving palliative care in Llanidloes, and that he would not have been able to see her if she had not been cared for further away.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
Louisa had a career in palliative care nursing and was a ward manager in a hospice.
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026
BBC Scotland understands there are another two families with concerns over palliative care received at the Royal Hospital of Children and Young People but they do not feel ready to share the experience.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he would not be voting on the issue and has suggested that palliative and social care should be better funded before legalising assisted suicide is considered.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
“He’ll have to take steroids to reduce the swelling in his brain and antiseizure medications. And I’d recommend palliative radiation. Do you know what that means?”
From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
