Anodynes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of substances or treatments that alleviate pain or discomfort without addressing the underlying issue
2. Medicines or remedies that provide relief from physical suffering or emotional distress, often temporarily
3. Agents that reduce sensations of pain or discomfort, often used in a therapeutic context to improve quality of life

Etymology: The plural "anodynes" is simply the form of "anodyne," a noun for a medicine that eases pain or distress. The noun's roots are Greek: the word "anṓdunos" meant "free from pain," built from "an-," meaning "without," and "odúnē," meaning "pain." Medieval Latin took it up as "anōdynos," meaning "stilling or relieving pain," and it reached English in Middle English as "anodine." The word's history also includes a sharp turn in tone. The adjective sense "noncontentious" probably came through French "anodin," meaning "harmless, trivial," from the same Greek origin. So a word that once promised real relief from agony came to describe something so mild it cannot provoke a quarrel, and English speakers now use "anodyne" for both the medicine and the bland, inoffensive remark.

Synonyms: painkillers, analgesics, narcotics, sedatives, relievers