conciliatory
/kənˈsɪliətəri/
adjective
Origin
Latin
conciliare — to bring together, unite, win over
Overview
Meaning Now
- Intended or likely to placate or pacify; making or willing to make concessions.
Literal older meaning
relating to the act of bringing together or uniting
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
conciliatorie
Earliest period
16th century
Journey
The term stems from the Latin 'concilium' (assembly/council), originally implying the act of gathering people together. Over time, the meaning shifted from the political or physical act of assembly to the psychological act of resolving differences and restoring harmony between parties.
Evolution
- Latin
conciliare
“to call together or win over”
Derived from concilium (council/assembly).
- Late Latin
conciliatorius
“serving to win over”
- Middle French
conciliatoire
“tending to reconcile”
- Early Modern English
conciliatory
“peace-making”
Connections
Word parts
con-
prefix
together
concili-
root
to bring together
-atory
suffix
relating to or serving as
Related across languages
French
conciliatoire
conciliatory
Italian
conciliatorio
conciliatory
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.