Pacification

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of quelling disturbances and fostering serenity in a community involves resolving conflicts and restoring a sense of order and safety
2. The process of ending conflict or violence to establish calm and order
3. Actions taken to reduce hostility and create a peaceful environment

Etymology: "Pacification" is a noun built from the Latin root "pax" (peace) and the suffix "-ficatio," a noun-forming element from "facere" (to make or do). Together the pieces mean something like "the act of making peace." The word reached English through Middle English "pacificacion," which came from Old French "pacification," so its path into the language ran through France before taking on its English form. The same Latin root gave English "pacify" and "pacific," and the -fication ending follows the pattern of many other English nouns, such as "classification" and "simplification," where a verb in "-fy" becomes a noun. Because "pax" also gave the name of the Roman goddess of peace, "Pax," the root has long been tied to the idea of a calm, settled order rather than mere silence.

Synonyms: calmness, tranquility, reconciliation, settlement, restoration

Antonyms: agitation, conflict, disturbance, upheaval, turmoil