lenitive

****************************************************************
Attention word gurus:  try WORD SWEEP!, the first board game to feature =
Merriam-Webster definitions! Available at Borders Bookstores.
http://www.wordsweep.com
****************************************************************

The Word of the Day for November 18 is:=20

lenitive   \LEN-uh-tiv\   adjective
     : alleviating pain or harshness : soothing

Example sentence:
           Ryan=E2=80=99s mother insisted that a steaming cup of herbal =
tea would have a lenitive effect on his stomachache.

Did you know?
         =E2=80=9CLenitive=E2=80=9D first appeared in English in the 15t=
h century. It derived from the Latin verb =E2=80=9Clenire=E2=80=9D (=E2=80=
=9Cto soften or soothe=E2=80=9D), which was itself formed from the adjec=
tive =E2=80=9Clenis,=E2=80=9D meaning =E2=80=9Csoft=E2=80=9D or =E2=80=9C=
mild.=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9CLenire=E2=80=9Dalso gave us the adjective =E2=80=
=9Clenient,=E2=80=9D which usually means =E2=80=9Ctolerant=E2=80=9D or =E2=
=80=9Cindulgent=E2=80=9D today but in its original sense carried the mea=
ning of =E2=80=9Crelieving pain or stress.=E2=80=9D Often found in medic=
al contexts, =E2=80=9Clenitive=E2=80=9D can also be a noun referring to =
a treatment (such as a salve) with soothing or healing properties.=20





You Are Subscribed As: [email protected]

To unsubscribe, please click here:
http://www.drhinternet.net/mw/u/966408/568f14b4ab4f050b/N254L6

To change your e-mail address or to subscribe to the html
version of Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day, featuring audio
pronunciations, please visit:
http://mw.drhinternet.net/sm/wod/changeofaddress.iphtml

(c) 2007 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated

Merriam-Webster, Inc.
47 Federal Street
P.O. Box 281
Springfield, MA 01102