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soothe

(sth)

v. soothed, sooth·ing, soothes

v.tr.

1. To calm or placate (a person, for example).

2. To ease or relieve (pain, for example).

v.intr.

To bring comfort, composure, or relief.

[Middle English sothen, to verify, from Old English sōthian, from sōth, true; see es- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

soother n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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