Anodyne Definition
ănə-dīn
adjective
Relieving or lessening pain; soothing.
Webster's New World
Relaxing.
Anodyne novels about country life.
American Heritage
Lacking zest, vigor, etc.; bland; insipid.
Webster's New World
Capable of soothing or eliminating pain.
American Heritage Medicine
Capable of soothing or eliminating pain. [from 16th c.]
Wiktionary
noun
Anything that relieves pain or soothes.
Webster's New World
A source of soothing comfort.
American Heritage
A medicine, such as aspirin, that relieves pain.
American Heritage Medicine
(figuratively) A source of relaxation or comfort.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
Other Word Forms of Anodyne
Noun
Singular:
anodyne
Plural:
anodynesOrigin of Anodyne
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Latin anōdynus from Greek anōdunos free from pain an- without a–1 odunē pain ed- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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From Latin anōdynus (“painless”), from Ancient Greek ἀνώδυνος (anōdynos, “free from pain”), from ἀν- (an-, “without”) + ὀδύνη (odynē, “pain”).
From Wiktionary
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