palliative

1 of 2

adjective

pal·​li·​a·​tive ˈpa-lē-ˌā-tiv  ˈpal-yə- 

: serving to palliate

palliative surgery

palliative care

palliative drugs

palliatively adverb

palliative

2 of 2

noun

: something that palliates

Examples of palliative in a Sentence

Noun

The disease has no cure, but a number of palliatives exist.

Travel is like a palliative against depression for him.

symbolic palliatives for inner-city troubles

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The law firm says the newborn had to be resuscitated and was then placed on palliative care in the neonatal intensive care unit. —Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 9 Dec. 2024

Others called for the improvement of palliative care to ease suffering as an alternative. —Brian Melley and Pan Pylas The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 30 Nov. 2024

Noun

Proponents of the bill say assisted dying can bring dignity to terminal patients at the end of their lives, averting months of suffering and physical decline, and easing pressure on the country’s palliative, or end-of-life, services. —Rob Picheta, CNN, 29 Nov. 2024

But paper palliatives will not address the world’s present emergencies. —Philip Zelikow, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1656, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

palliative

1 of 2 adjective

pal·​li·​a·​tive ˈpal-ē-ˌāt-iv  ˈpal-yət- 

: serving to palliate

palliative

2 of 2 noun

: something that palliates

Medical Definition

palliative

1 of 2 adjective

pal·​lia·​tive ˈpal-ē-ˌāt-iv  ˈpal-yət- 

: reducing the severity of a disease or condition without curing it : providing palliative care

palliative treatment

Although valve replacement is an important advance in the treatment of patients with valve disease, it is a palliative rather than a curative procedure.

—Robert A. O'Rourke, The Journal of the American Medical Association

palliatively adverb

palliative

2 of 2 noun

: something that reduces the severity of a disease or condition without curing it