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anodyne

 - 6 dictionary results

an·o·dyne

   [an-uh-dahyn]
–noun
1.
a medicine that relieves or allays pain.
2.
anything that relieves distress or pain: The music was an anodyne to his grief.
–adjective
3.
relieving pain.
4.
soothing to the mind or feelings.
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Origin:
1535–45; < L anōdynus < Gk anṓdynos painless, equiv. to an- an-1 + ōdyn- (s. of odýnē pain, with lengthening of o) + -os adj. suffix

—Related forms
an·o·dyn·ic  [an-uh-din-ik] , adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
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Word Origin & History

anodyne
1540s, from M.L. anodynus "pain-removing," from L. anodynus "painless," from Gk. anodynos "free from pain," from an- "without" + odyne "pain," a word perhaps from PIE root *ed- "to eat" (cf., from the same root, Lith. edioti "to devour, bite," ediotis "to suffer pain"). In old slang, frequently a euphemism for "death;" e.g. anodyne necklace "hangman's noose."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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an·o·dyne   (ān'ə-dīn')   
adj.  

  1. Capable of soothing or eliminating pain.

  2. Relaxing: anodyne novels about country life.

n.  

  1. A medicine, such as aspirin, that relieves pain.

  2. A source of soothing comfort.


[Latin anōdynus, from Greek anōdunos, free from pain : an-, without; see a-1 + odunē, pain; see ed- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1an·o·dyne
Pronunciation: 'an-&-"dIn
Function: adjective
: serving to ease pain

Main Entry: 2anodyne
Function: noun
: a drug that allays pain
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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anodyne an·o·dyne (ān'ə-dīn')
n.
An agent that relieves pain.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
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