Placebo

It’s a Noun.

It is used just to satisfy a patient’s need for medicine as a remedy for his illness. This sounds confusing, doesn’t it?

In our homes we come across people who are not really sick, but they must go to a doctor and the doctor must give them some medicine or spend atleast some time listening to their problems. If not they either feel that they are still sick or that the doctors bad. Usually the remedy that doctors opt is to give them vitamin tablets. In such cases both the doctor and the patient are satisfied i.e the medicine doesn’t have any particular history or prescription.

It also means soothing someone temporarily or just for the time being without finding a solution for the problem itself.

Its origin is from Latin (meaning – I shall please)

Examples: The doctor made it clear to Ms. Sonal that this tablet will act only as a placebo for his mood swings.(Here the doctor points out that it’s not a real remedy but a temporary relief)

Ram lost his job and had no hopes but his wife’s words were a real placebo for the time being as if nothing much had happened. (Here the simple meaning that can be given for placebo is consolation)