alleviate

The definition of alleviate is to make something easier to deal with or endure.

(verb)

An example of alleviate is to take pain killers to ease the tension of a headache.

YourDictionary definition and usage example. Copyright © 2013 by LoveToKnow Corp.

See alleviate in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb alleviated, alleviating

  1. to make less hard to bear; lighten or relieve (pain, suffering, etc.)
  2. to reduce or decrease: to alleviate poverty

Origin: ME alleviaten < LL alleviatus, pp. of alleviare, for L allevare < ad-, to + levis, light

Related Forms:

See alleviate in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb al·le·vi·at·ed, al·le·vi·at·ing, al·le·vi·ates
To make (pain, for example) more bearable: a drug that alleviates cold symptoms. See Synonyms at relieve.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English alleviaten

Origin: , from Late Latin alleviāre, alleviāt-, to lighten

Origin: : Latin ad-, ad-

Origin: + levis, light; see legwh- in Indo-European roots

.

Related Forms:

  • al·leˌvi·aˈtion noun
  • al·leˈvi·aˌtor noun

Learn more about alleviate

link/cite print suggestion box