Anodyne

//ˈæn.ə.daɪn// adj, noun

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Capable of soothing or eliminating pain.

    "Many a time has the vapor of ether been inhaled for the relief of oppressed lungs; many a time has the sought relief been thus obtained; and just so many times has the discovery of the wonderful anodyne properties of this gas, as affecting all bodily suffering, been brushed past and overlooked."

  2. 2
    Soothing or relaxing. figuratively

    "Classical music is rather anodyne."

  3. 3
    Noncontentious, blandly agreeable, unlikely to cause offence or debate. broadly

    "It all became so routine, so anodyne, so dull."

Adjective
  1. 1
    capable of relieving pain wordnet
Noun
  1. 1
    Any medicine or other agent that relieves pain.
  2. 2
    a medicine used to relieve pain wordnet
  3. 3
    A source of relaxation or comfort. figuratively

    "Nor do I mean to say that Virtue is not Virtue because it is never tempted to go astray; only that dulness is a much finer gift than we give it credit for being; and that some people are very lucky whom Nature has endowed with a good store of that great anodyne."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English anodine, from Medieval Latin anōdynos (“stilling or relieving pain”), from Ancient Greek ἀνώδυνος (anṓdunos, “free from pain”), from ἀν- (an-, “without”) + ὀδύνη (odúnē, “pain”). Adjective sense “noncontentious” probably through French anodin (“harmless, trivial”), of same origin.

Etymology 2

From Middle English anodine, from Medieval Latin anōdynos (“stilling or relieving pain”), from Ancient Greek ἀνώδυνος (anṓdunos, “free from pain”), from ἀν- (an-, “without”) + ὀδύνη (odúnē, “pain”). Adjective sense “noncontentious” probably through French anodin (“harmless, trivial”), of same origin.

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