lenitive (adj.)

"assuaging, palliating," early 15c., from Medieval Latin lenitivus, from Latin lenitus, past participle of lenire "to soften, alleviate, pacify" (from PIE root *‌‌lē- "to let go, slacken"). As a noun, "a lenitive medicine," from early 15c.

also from early 15c.

Entries linking to lenitive

lenient (adj.)

1650s, "relaxing, soothing" (a sense now archaic), from French lenient, from Latin lenientem (nominative leniens), present participle of lenire "to soften, alleviate, allay; calm, soothe, pacify," from lenis "mild, gentle, calm," which probably is from a suffixed form of PIE root *‌‌lē- "to let go, slacken."

The usual modern sense of "mild, merciful" (of persons or actions) is first recorded 1787. In earlier use was lenitive, attested from early 15c. of medicines, 1610s of persons. Related: Leniently.

*lē-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to let go, slacken."

It forms all or part of: alas; allegiance; lassitude; last (adj.) "following all others;" late; latter; lenient; lenitive; lenity; let (v.) "allow;" let (n.) "stoppage, obstruction;" liege.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Greek ledein "to be weary;" Latin lenis "mild, gentle, calm," lassus "faint, weary;" Lithuanian lėnas "quiet, tranquil, tame, slow," leisti "to let, to let loose;" Old Church Slavonic lena "lazy," Old English læt "sluggish, slow," lætan "to leave behind."

Trends of lenitive

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

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palliative

early 15c., palliatif, "serving to mitigate or alleviate" (a wound, disease, etc.); also "serving to cover, concealing;" from Medieval Latin palliativus "under cloak, covert," from Late Latin palliatus, literally "cloaked," from past participle of Late Latin palliare "cover with

cure

c. 1300, "care, heed," from Latin cura "care, concern, trouble," with many figurative extensions over time such as "study; administration; office of a parish priest; a mistress," and also "means of healing, successful remedial treatment of a disease" (late 14c.), from Old Latin c

therapeutic

pertaining to the healing of disease, 1640s, from Modern Latin therapeuticus "curing, healing," from Greek therapeutikos, from therapeutein "to cure, treat medically," primarily "do service, take care of, provide for," of unknown origin, related to therapon "attendant." Therapeut

remedy

c. 1200, remedie, "means of counteracting sin or evil of any kind; cure for a vice or temptation;" late 14c., "a cure for a disease or disorder, medicine or process which restores health;" from Anglo-French remedie, Old French remede "remedy, cure" (12c., Modern French remède) an

capacity

early 15c., capacite, "ability to contain; size, extent;" also "ability" in a legal, moral, or intellectual sense, from Old French capacité "ability to hold" (15c.), from Latin capacitatem (nominative capacitas) "breadth, capacity, capability of holding much," noun of state from

appeal

early 14c., appelen, originally in the legal sense, to "call" to a higher judge or court, from Anglo-French apeler "to call upon, accuse," Old French apeler "make an appeal" (11c., Modern French appeler), from Latin appellare "to accost, address, appeal to, summon, name," iterati

sequester

late 14c., sequestren, transitive, "remove (something), set aside; quarantine, isolate (someone); excommunicate;" also intransitive, "separate oneself from," from Old French sequestrer (14c.) and directly from Late Latin sequestrare "to place in safekeeping," from Latin sequester

harmony

late 14c., "combination of tones pleasing to the ear," from Old French harmonie, armonie "harmony," also the name of a musical instrument (12c.), from Latin harmonia, from Greek harmonia "agreement, concord of sounds," also as a proper name, the personification of music, literall

hot dog

also hotdog, "sausage on a split roll," c. 1890, American English, from hot (adj.) + dog (n.). Many early references are in college student publications; later popularized, but probably not coined, by cartoonist T.A. "Tad" Dorgan (1877-1929). It is said in early explanations to e

soda

late 15c., sode, "sodium carbonate, an alkaline substance extracted from certain ashes" (now made artificially), from Italian sida (or Medieval Latin soda), in reference to a kind of saltwort from which soda was obtained, a word of uncertain origin. Perhaps it is from a Catalan s

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updated on January 30, 2018

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Dictionary entries near lenitive

lengthy

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