pacific

A2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /pəˈsɪfɪk/ See IPA manual

Freq #4946

Meanings

1

adj
Calm and peaceful; tending to avoid conflict.

She had a pacific nature and always tried to settle arguments fairly.
2

adj
Relating to or near the Pacific Ocean.

They spent the summer exploring several Pacific islands.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · calm and peaceful; tending... peaceable calm peaceful

Word family

Forms pacifically

Derived forms nonpacificpacificallypacificismpacificistpacificityunpacific

Related forms pacifism pacifist pacify

Appears in

Phrases (1)

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Simplified etymology

Pacific came into English in the late Middle English period from the Latin root pax, meaning “peace,” and originally meant “peaceful” or “free from strife.” The Pacific Ocean received its name from Portuguese Mar Pacifico, “tranquil sea,” after Ferdinand Magellan emerged into its calmer waters in 1520.

Etymology

From Latin pācificus (“peace-making”), so called by Magellan because he sailed peacefully over it after weathering Cape Horn.

pācificus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# pacific

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /pəˈsɪfɪk/
**Frequency rank:** 4946

## Meanings
1. Calm and peaceful; tending to avoid conflict.
2. Relating to or near the Pacific Ocean.

## Examples
- She had a pacific nature and always tried to settle arguments fairly.
- They spent the summer exploring several Pacific islands.

## Derived Forms
- nonpacific
- pacifically
- pacificism
- pacificist
- pacificity
- unpacific

## Related Forms
- pacifism
- pacifist
- pacify

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: pācificus

## Etymology
From Latin pācificus (“peace-making”), so called by Magellan because he sailed peacefully over it after weathering Cape Horn.

## AI Etymology
Pacific comes from Latin pācificus (“peace-making”), so called by Magellan because he sailed peacefully over it after weathering Cape Horn. Modern senses include calm and peaceful; tending to avoid conflict and relating to or near the Pacific Ocean. The wider word family includes derivatives such as nonpacific, pacifically, pacificism, pacificist, pacificity, and unpacific and related forms such as pacifism, pacifist, and pacify.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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