palliativus

Forms

palliātīvus (feminine palliātīva, neuter palliātīvum); first/second-declension adjective^[1][2]

Etymology

According to Jeanneau, it is from Latin palliātus (“cloaked”),^[1] which Etymonline traces through palliō (“to cover with a cloak, conceal”) to pallium (“cloak”).^[3] Köbler refers it to palla (“mantle”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The DMLBS quotes it from a medieval medical text, where a treatment that only relieves a very strong pain is called palliative, as opposed to the true cure that removes its cause.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Its basic sense is concealing or covering,^[2][4] and in medicine it came to mean giving relief without removing the cause.^[2] Medieval Latin palliativus is the source of the English word palliative, recorded from the early 15th century.^[3] Modern Latin uses it in curae palliativae “palliative care”.^[1]

Timeline

• early 15th century – English borrows palliative from the Medieval Latin word.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (Medieval Latin) Concealing, covering.^[2][4]
2. (Medieval Latin, medicine) Palliative, giving relief without removing the cause.^[2][1]

Related words

• palliatus
• pallium
• English palliative

References

1. ^ a b c d Jeanneau, Gérard; Woitrain, Jean-Paul; Hassid, Jean-Claude (2017), Dictionnaire latin-français, online ed., prima-elementa.fr
2. ^ a b c d e f Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de