Tranquilised

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. A condition marked by serenity and absence of stress is produced by the use of a calming medication
2. The experience of peacefulness and reduced agitation is attained through the administration of a sedative
3. Caused to become calm or relaxed through the use of a medicated substance that reduces anxiety or agitation

Etymology: "Tranquilised" is the past tense and past participle of "tranquilise," the British spelling of "tranquilize." The verb is built on "tranquil," which came into English from Latin "tranquillus," meaning calm, quiet, or still, and it was the adjective's sense of undisturbed stillness that the verb inherited. To tranquilise something is to make it calm, and in modern usage that most often means sedating an animal or a person with a drug. The "-ise" ending is a verb-forming suffix, and it arrived through French, where Greek-derived verbs in "-iser" were common. English speakers added it to many adjectives and nouns over the centuries, so "tranquilise" follows a familiar pattern. The spelling difference between British "-ise" and American "-ize" is purely a matter of regional convention.

Synonyms: calmed, soothed

Antonyms: agitated, excited