Tranquilizations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The process of calming or making someone peaceful through the administration of medication
2. The act of inducing a state of serenity or relaxation often associated with psychoactive substances
3. Achieving a state of mental calmness by using drugs or therapies aimed at reducing agitation or anxiety

Etymology: "Tranquilizations" is the plural of "tranquilization," a noun formed from the verb "tranquilize" plus the suffix "-ation," which turns an action into a noun. The verb itself comes from "tranquilizer," which was borrowed from the Latin "tranquillus," meaning calm or quiet. The Latin root also gives English "tranquil," so the two words are closely related and share the same core sense of stillness. The word "tranquilizer" was originally used for drugs that calm the mind, and "tranquilize" followed from it as a back-formation, a verb built by removing an ending from a noun. The pattern is common in English: "tranquilizer" existed first, and the verb grew out of it. The plural form "tranquilizations" refers to multiple instances or types of this process.

Synonyms: calmings, soothings, relaxations