DictionaryRoot: placare
Latin

placare

to calm, appease

1 / 4
A two-moment shop-counter scene: an angry customer presents a defective handbag; the shopkeeper placates her by letting her keep the bag while returning her money.
verb

placate

PLAY-kayt/ˈpleɪkeɪt/

Make someone less angry or hostile.

Etymology

Latin placare meant to soothe or appease and was formed from a verb meaning “to please.” Placating people thus connects calming their anger with doing something that satisfies them.

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