placebo
UK[pləˈsiːbəʊ]US[pləˈsiːboʊ]
n
A substance or treatment that has no therapeutic effect, used as a control in testing new drugs or given for its psychological benefit.
n
Something done or given to please or reassure someone, often having no real effect.
Morpheme Breakdown
place
bo
place
to please
bo
I shall
Etymology
The word 'placebo' originates from the opening phrase of the Latin Vulgate Bible's translation of Psalm 116:9, "Placebo Domino in regione vivorum," meaning "I shall please the Lord in the land of the living." In medieval times, professional mourners who were paid to attend funerals and chant these psalms were derisively called 'placebos,' implying they were there to flatter or please the bereaved rather than to grieve sincerely. This association with superficial pleasing evolved into the medical term in the 18th century, first describing a medicine given more to please than to benefit the patient, and later solidifying into its current scientific meaning of an inert treatment used for comparison.
Analysis
Structure: place (to please) + bo (I shall)
- place: From Latin placēre, meaning 'to please'. It functions as the verb root.
- bo: From the Latin first-person singular future active ending -bō, meaning 'I shall'. It functions as a future tense inflection.
Examples
In the clinical trial, half the patients received the new drug while the other half were given a placebo.
The new policy was widely seen as a placebo, designed to calm public anger without addressing the core issue.
She knew the herbal tea was probably just a placebo, but it always made her feel more relaxed.