noun / adjective
placebo
pluh-SEE-boh/pləˈsiːbəʊ/
An inactive treatment whose apparent benefit comes from belief or expectation.
The patient receives a sugar-filled placebo presented as ordinary medicine.
Etymology
Placebo is a form of Latin placere meaning “I shall please.” Its medical use described medicine given more to please than to benefit the patient, linking pleasing with today's inactive treatment.
In context
example of placebo and so when you believe a medicine is going to help you even if I tell you look that's there's nothing active in it that's just like sugar
More examples
- The study compares the new drug with a placebo.
- His improvement may be a placebo effect rather than the drug's action.
- The placebo tablets contain no active medicine.
Forms
placebo · placebos · placeboes
Similar words
- sham
- Sham emphasizes simulated treatment rather than relief caused by expectation.