Palliative: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Palliative adjective. Easing pain or distress without dealing with its underlying cause.
How to say it
PAL-ee-uh-tiv/ˈpalɪətɪv/
4 syllables, stressed on the first (PAL).
Palliative in a sentence
Palliative care puts comfort first, not cure.
A pay rise is only palliative if the job itself is the real problem.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- soothing
- alleviating
- easing
Opposite:
- curative
Where palliative comes from
From Latin palliare, to cloak, from pallium, a cloak.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
A pay rise is only _____ if the job itself is the real problem.
- palliative
- somnolent
- lethargic
Show the answer
palliative: A pay rise is only palliative if the job itself is the real problem.