lenitive

L1E1N1I1T1I1V4E1

adjective

Analgesic, able to reduce pain or suffering.

Scrabble 11

Meanings

adjectivelenitive (comparative more lenitive, superlative most lenitive)

comparative more lenitive · superlative most lenitive

  1. Analgesic, able to reduce pain or suffering.
  2. Laxative; easing the bowels.
nounlenitive (plural lenitives)

plural lenitives

  1. An analgesic or other source of relief from pain

    Their pain soft arts of pharmacy can ease, Thy breast alone no lenitives appease.

    1899, Alexander Pope, The Iliad of Homer
    2 more examples

    It is now full time to free him from all these necessities, and to apply cordials and lenitives, after those severities which have already had their full course against him.

    1688, David Hume, The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol. I, Part E

    Upon the whole, as the author seems to share all the common miseries of life, he appears to partake likewise of its lenitives and abatements.

    1825, Samuel Johnson, The Works of Samuel Johnson in Nine Volumes

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivemoderating pain or sorrow by making it easier to bear

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinlēnīt(us)“softened”
  2. Englishlenitive

From Latin lēnīt(us) (“softened”) + -ive, from lēniō (“to soften, soothe”), from lēnis (“soft”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Polish łagodzący, uśmierzający
  • łagodzącyTranslations
  • uśmierzającyTranslations
Spanish lenitivo
  • lenitivoTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

lenitive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lenitive

MLA

“lenitive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lenitive. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lenitive,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lenitive.

Source: lenitive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.