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panacea

[ pan-uh-see-uh ]
/ ˌpæn əˈsi ə /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR panacea ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a remedy for all disease or ills; cure-all.
an answer or solution for all problems or difficulties: His economic philosophy is a good one, but he tries to use it as a panacea.

RELATED WORDS

elixir, remedy, nostrum, cure, relief, catholicon

Nearby words

  1. pan-islamism,
  2. pan-pan,
  3. pan-slavism,
  4. pan-teutonism,
  5. pan.,
  6. panache,
  7. panacinar emphysema,
  8. panada,
  9. panagglutinin,
  10. panagia

Origin of panacea

1540–50; < Latin < Greek panákeia, equivalent to panake-, stem of panakḗs all-healing (pan- pan- + akḗs a cure) + -ia -ia
Related formspan·a·ce·an, adjective

Definition for panacea (2 of 2)

Panacea

[ pan-uh-see-uh ]
/ ˌpæn əˈsi ə /

noun

an ancient Greek goddess of healing.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for panacea

British Dictionary definitions for panacea

panacea

/ (ˌpænəˈsɪə) /

noun

a remedy for all diseases or ills
Derived Formspanacean, adjective

Word Origin for panacea

C16: via Latin from Greek panakeia healing everything, from pan all + akēs remedy
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 panacea

panacea

n.

"universal remedy," 1540s, from Latin panacea, a herb (variously identified) that would heal all illnesses, from Greek panakeia "cure-all," from panakes "all-healing," from pan- "all" (see pan-) + akos "cure," from iasthai "to heal" (see -iatric). Earlier in English as panace (1510s).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Medicine definitions for panacea

panacea

[ păn′ə-sē′ə ]

n.

A remedy claimed to be curative of all problems or disorders; a cure-all.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.