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

Another solution — and one that starts before unhoused people need palliative care — is better housing solutions. —Pilar Ingle, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2025

The doctor gently recommends looking into palliative care. —Erin Qualey, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2025

Noun

Both are palliatives but not cures to the challenge of creating a unified legal function capable of serving the needs of digital/AI-era business. —Mark A. Cohen, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025

One of the advantages of early detection is that the goal of treatment becomes a cure as opposed to palliative. —Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 18 Feb. 2025

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