anodyne

[ an-uh-dahyn ]
/ ˈæn əˌdaɪn /

noun

a medicine that relieves or allays pain.
anything that relieves distress or pain: The music was an anodyne to his grief.

adjective

relieving pain.
soothing to the mind or feelings.

Origin of anodyne

1535–45; < Latin anōdynus < Greek anṓdynos painless, equivalent to an- an-1 + ōdyn- (stem of odýnē pain, with lengthening of o) + -os adj. suffix

OTHER WORDS FROM anodyne

an·o·dyn·ic [an-uh-din-ik] /ˌæn əˈdɪn ɪk/, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for anodyne

British Dictionary definitions for anodyne

anodyne
/ (ˈænəˌdaɪn) /

noun

a drug that relieves pain; analgesic
anything that alleviates mental distress

adjective

capable of relieving pain or distress

Word Origin for anodyne

C16: from Latin anōdynus, from Greek anōdunos painless, from an- + odunē pain

Medical definitions for anodyne

anodyne
[ ănə-dīn′ ]

n.

An agent that relieves pain.