ameliorate
[ uh-meel-yuh-reyt, uh-mee-lee-uh- ]
/ əˈmil yəˌreɪt, əˈmi li ə- /
verb (used with or without object), a·mel·io·rat·ed, a·mel·io·rat·ing.
to make or become better, more bearable, or more satisfactory; improve: strategies to ameliorate negative effects on the environment.
Also
meliorate.
OTHER WORDS FROM ameliorate
Words nearby ameliorate
ameds,
ameer,
ameerate,
ameiosis,
amelia,
ameliorate,
amelioration,
ameloblast,
ameloblastic fibroma,
ameloblastic fibrosarcoma,
ameloblastic layer
Example sentences from the Web for ameliorate
British Dictionary definitions for ameliorate
ameliorate
/ (əˈmiːljəˌreɪt) /
verb
to make or become better; improve
Derived forms of ameliorate
ameliorable (əˈmiːljərəbəl), adjective ameliorant, noun ameliorative, adjective ameliorator, nounWord Origin for ameliorate
C18: from
meliorate, influenced by French
améliorer to improve, from Old French
ameillorer to make better, from
meillor better, from Latin
melior
usage for ameliorate
Ameliorate is often wrongly used where
alleviate is meant.
Ameliorate is properly used to mean `improve', not `make easier to bear', so one should talk about
alleviating pain or hardship, not
ameliorating it