Word of the Day : August 3, 2018

pacify \PASS-uh-fye\ verb

Definition

1 a : to allay the anger or agitation of : soothe

b : appease, propitiate

2 a : to restore to a tranquil state : settle

b : to reduce to a submissive state : subdue

Did You Know?

A parent who wants to win a little peace and quiet might give a fussy baby a pacifier. An employer seeking to avoid worker discontent might pay employees well. These actions may seem unrelated, but etymologically speaking, they have a lot in common. Both pacifier and pay are ultimately derived from pax, the Latin word for "peace." As you may have guessed, pax is also the source of our word peace. Pacify comes to us through Middle English pacifien, from the Latin verb pacificare, which derives from pax.

Aired August 3, 2018

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