pacify

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈpæsɪˌfaɪ/ UK /ˈpæsɪfaɪ/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to calm or soothe; to quell unrest or anger

She tried to pacify the crying toddler with a favorite toy.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to calm or soothe; to quell... calm soothe appease placate mollify quell assuage

Opposites

provoke agitate incite inflame aggravate

Word family

Derived forms pacifierpacifiable

Related forms pacification pacific pacifism

Simplified etymology

Pacify dates from the late Middle English period and goes back to the same Latin root as peace: pax, meaning “peace.”

Etymology

From Middle French pacifier, from Latin pacificare 'to make peace', from pax (genitive pacis) 'peace' + facere 'to make'.

pacificare Latin pax Latin facere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# pacify

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈpæsɪˌfaɪ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈpæsɪfaɪ/

## Meanings
1. to calm or soothe; to quell unrest or anger

## Examples
- She tried to pacify the crying toddler with a favorite toy.

## Synonyms
- calm
- soothe
- appease
- placate
- mollify
- quell
- assuage

## Antonyms
- provoke
- agitate
- incite
- inflame
- aggravate

## Derived Forms
- pacifier
- pacifiable

## Related Forms
- pacification
- pacific
- pacifism

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: pacificare
- Root: pax
- Root: facere

## Etymology
From Middle French pacifier, from Latin pacificare 'to make peace', from pax (genitive pacis) 'peace' + facere 'to make'.

## AI Etymology
Pacify comes from Middle French pacifier, from Latin pacificare 'to make peace', from pax (genitive pacis) 'peace' + facere 'to make'. The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As a verb, it means "to calm or soothe; to quell unrest or anger", so the modern sense keeps the older action or relation visible. Relevant historical forms include Latin pacificare, Latin pax, and Latin facere. Derivative forms include pacifier, pacifiable; related words include pacification, pacific, pacifism.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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