panacea
noun
a remedy for all disease or ills.
panacea
1 American
[pan-uh-see-uh]
/ ˌpæn əˈsi ə /
Panacea
2
American
[pan-uh-see-uh]
/ ˌpæn əˈsi ə /
noun
panacea
British
/ ˌpænəˈsɪə /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of panacea
First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin, from Greek panákeia, equivalent to panake-, stem of panakḗs “all-healing” ( pan- “all” + akḗs “a cure”) + -ia noun suffix; pan-, -ia
Explanation
If someone offers you a pill that promises eternal life, don’t take the pill. It’s a panacea, a remedy that falsely claims to solve every problem ever. The Greek word pan means “all” (think of a panorama, a view where you can see everywhere). The Greek word for “cure” is akēs (which looks like the word “aches”). Those are the roots of panacea, a cure for all aches. But a panacea doesn’t really cure everything; it just acts like it can. Use the word to describe an unbelievable solution, like a new law that will make everyone rich, or a robot that does your homework for you.
Vocabulary lists containing panacea
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 Words to Make You Sound Smart
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
For National Pancake Day, Words With the Greek Roots "Pan-"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Of course, passing American Dream and Promise Act is not a panacea.
From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026
It’s a panacea, but they aren’t yet ready for use in production vehicles.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
When sliced, each irregular disk holds triterpenoids and p-couramic acid — panacea to reduce inflammation, with potential anti-cancer properties.
From Salon ● May 9, 2026
The layoffs also lend credence to a growing public perception that AI isn’t a panacea but a job killer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 27, 2026
In fact, I don’t share the belief, held by many union staffers, that unionization would be a panacea.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
Parker, an AmeriCorps member at the Gulf Specimen Marine Lab in Panacea, Fla., near Tallahassee, spends his days studying shellfish.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 11, 2023
Southcott's box was kept in The Bishops' House, on Newnham Road, which is now the home to the Panacea Museum.
From BBC ● Nov. 16, 2019
The Panacea Society began in 1918 after its leader, Octavia, was discovered by her first followers to be the Daughter of God.
From The Guardian ● Jun. 19, 2019
The manager of the R.V. park, though, said this month that Mr. Bearden is still there, still in Panacea, and like the rest of the Panhandle, still holding on.
From New York Times ● Dec. 28, 2018
But appearing suggestive of something else, I crossed it out and finally produced the following ambitious ode:— The Great Panacea.
From A Yeoman's Letters Third Edition by P. T. Ross
Some parents of children with autism, desperate for a remedy, have long reached for dubious and at times dangerous panaceas, including hyperbaric oxygen chambers and chelation therapy, used for the treatment of heavy metal poisoning.
From Salon ● Dec. 15, 2025
Spoiler: psychiatry and psychology are not the panaceas you might think.
From Slate ● Nov. 28, 2023
There are no panaceas, but we can and must do better for our communities and those suffering from behavioral health issues.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 17, 2023
Digital platforms are not panaceas for food insecurity, notes Georgiana Nica-Avram at Nottingham University Business School.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2022
Working with nature and especially with nut trees helps us to develop this philosophy and to realize that there are no panaceas for our present day problems except as we work them out ourselves.
From Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the Thirty-Seventh Annual Report Wooster, Ohio, September 3, 4, 5, 1946 by Northern Nut Growers Association
Definitions 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.
