Alleviations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of making something less severe or more bearable, such as pain or discomfort
2. A relief from burdens or hardships, which can apply to various forms of suffering or stress
3. The process of mitigating negative conditions, often leading to improved well-being or comfort

Etymology: "Alleviations" is simply the plural of "alleviation," so the story belongs to the base noun. "Alleviation" is built from "alleviate" plus the suffix "-ion," and the verb reaches back through Latin "alleviare," meaning to lighten or make lighter. The Latin root is "levis," light in weight, which is why the verb carries the sense of lifting a burden. The suffix has a longer road than the verb. It passed from Latin "-ātiō" into Old French "-ation," then into Middle English as "-aciioun," and eventually settled into the modern "-ation" form. Each step kept the same job: turning an action verb into the name of that action. The plural form simply counts multiple instances of that process, as when several remedies or easings of hardship are being discussed at once.

Synonyms: relief, soothing, mitigation

Antonyms: aggravation, intensification