anodyne

The story

1. French · derived fromanodin“harmless, trivial”
2. Ancient Greek · derived fromἀνώδυνος“free from pain”
3. Medieval Latin · derived fromanōdynos“stilling or relieving pain”
4. Middle English · inherited fromanodine
5. English todayanodyne

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.

First known use, by meaning

• from 16th c. Capable of soothing or eliminating pain.
• from 18th c. Soothing or relaxing.
• from 20th c. Noncontentious, blandly agreeable, unlikely to cause offence or debate.