placate

1
[ pley-keyt, plak-eyt ]
See synonyms for: placateplacatedplacatingplacater on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),pla·cat·ed, pla·cat·ing.
  1. to appease or pacify, especially by concessions or conciliatory gestures: to placate an outraged citizenry.

Origin of placate

1
First recorded in 1670–80; from Latin plācātus, past participle of plācāre “to quiet, calm, appease,” akin to placēre “to please”; cf. please

Other words for placate

Other words from placate

  • pla·cat·er, noun
  • pla·ca·tion [pley-key-shuhn], /pleɪˈkeɪ ʃən/, noun
  • un·pla·cat·ed, adjective

Other definitions for placate (2 of 2)

placate2
[ plak-eyt, -it ]

nounArmor.
  1. a piece of plate armor of the 15th to the 18th century protecting the lower part of the torso in front: used especially as a reinforcement over a breastplate.

Origin of placate

2
First recorded in 1625–35; apparently variant of placard

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use placate in a sentence

  • Mrs. Bowen did not respond to the question of placating and punishing her protégée with sustained interest.

    Indian Summer | William D. Howells
  • Ellen cast a sidelong look at Manape, and there was something distinctly placating in her eyes.

British Dictionary definitions for placate

placate

/ (pləˈkeɪt) /


verb
  1. (tr) to pacify or appease

Origin of placate

1
C17: from Latin plācāre; see placable

Derived forms of placate

  • placation, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012