panacea

[pan-uh-see-uh]

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.

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

Synonyms

See more synonyms for panacea on Thesaurus.com

1, 2. elixir, nostrum.

Panacea

[pan-uh-see-uh]

noun

an ancient Greek goddess of healing.

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

Examples from the Web for panacea

Contemporary Examples

CAP came out for airstrikes against ISIS inside Iraq in June, but warned they were not a panacea.
After Underestimating ISIS, Obama Scrambles for Plan to Defeat Them
Josh Rogin
August 9, 2014
Relying on a phone call a week from your kids is hardly a panacea for loneliness.
Pope Francis Is Wrong About My Child-Free Life
Amanda Marcotte
June 6, 2014
The Common Core standards are not a panacea; much depends on the curricula that states and districts select to implement them.
The Incredibly Stupid War on the Common Core
Charles Upton Sahm
April 21, 2014
Even a ban on semi-automatics is no panacea in a world full of powerful shotguns.
There's Little We Can Do to Prevent Another Massacre
Megan McArdle
December 17, 2012
The insulting needs to stop, but so too does the idea that tax cuts and family values are a panacea to all socioeconomic issues.
How Do You Make Inroads With Asian-Americans?
November 14, 2012

Historical Examples

A brick may be considered a panacea, and may be carried in the hat.
Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 11, June 11, 1870
Various
Government interference, the panacea of cranks and schemers.
The Railroad Question
William Larrabee
It is merely a spoon with which the panacea can be administered.
The New Nation
Frederic L. Paxson
Then rest is sought for—rest is looked for as the panacea for all evils.
Old Jack
W.H.G. Kingston
I'm not a woman—tears are no panacea for suffering like mine.
The Music Master
Charles Klein

British Dictionary definitions for panacea

panacea

noun

a remedy for all diseases or ills

Derived Formspanacean, adjective

Word Origin

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

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).

panacea in Medicine

panacea

(păn′ə-sē′ə)

A remedy claimed to be curative of all problems or disorders; a cure-all.

panacea

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}panacea

Synonyms

Panacea

Examples from the Web for panacea

Contemporary Examples

CAP came out for airstrikes against ISIS inside Iraq in June, but warned they were not a panacea.

Relying on a phone call a week from your kids is hardly a panacea for loneliness.

The Common Core standards are not a panacea; much depends on the curricula that states and districts select to implement them.

Even a ban on semi-automatics is no panacea in a world full of powerful shotguns.

The insulting needs to stop, but so too does the idea that tax cuts and family values are a panacea to all socioeconomic issues.

Historical Examples

A brick may be considered a panacea, and may be carried in the hat.

Government interference, the panacea of cranks and schemers.

It is merely a spoon with which the panacea can be administered.

Then rest is sought for—rest is looked for as the panacea for all evils.

I'm not a woman—tears are no panacea for suffering like mine.

panacea

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for panacea

n.

panacea

Origin of panacea