Obtundent

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Having the ability to soothe irritations and lessen reactions
2. Characterized by the feature of dulling sensations and promoting relief from pain
3. Capable of softening discomfort or decreasing responsiveness ; causing a reduction in the perception of pain or unpleasant sensations

Etymology: Latin "obtundere" means "to beat against" or "to blunt," built from "ob-" ("against") and "tundere" ("to beat, strike"). The same verb gave English "obtund," meaning to dull or deaden a sensation, and the adjective here carries that sense into the medical world: something that blunts the sharpness of an irritation. The "blunting" idea is a physical one at root. Hammering against something dulls its edge, and the Latin verb was applied figuratively to pain, feeling and the senses, so that a substance that dulls a painful sensation could be said to "obtund" it. The adjective keeps that image: it describes agents that take the edge off a harsh stimulus rather than removing its cause.