Pacified

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Made calm or peaceful by soothing or calming actions ; brought under control or subdued, often by force or agreement
2. Calmed down to a state of tranquility or quiet ; controlled and kept subdued through physical or diplomatic means
3. Reduced agitation or unrest to create peace or calm ; suppressed or managed a situation to prevent disturbance or rebellion

Etymology: "Pacified" is the past tense and past participle of "pacify", so the history belongs to the verb itself. The verb comes from Middle French "pacifier", which in turn was built from Latin "pax" ("peace") and "facere" ("to do, make"). Put together, the parts mean roughly "to make peace," a transparent compound that English took over from French. The Latin "pax" also gave English "pay," which is a useful surprise. The two words are cognates, meaning they descend from the same ancient root. The connection runs through the idea of settling a dispute: a payment was originally a way of making peace between parties, and the sense of paying off a debt grew out of that.

Synonyms: calmed, soothed

Antonyms: agitated, provoked