remedy
REM-uh-dee
/ˈremədi/
A treatment, medicine, or solution that cures or relieves a disease, pain, or problem.
Broadly applies to medical cures, traditional natural treatments, or solutions to legal and practical problems.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'remedium', built from 're-' (again) and 'mederi' (to heal/cure). The root 'mederi' also gave us 'medicine' and 'medical'.
Word relationships
- cure: 'Cure' implies complete eradication of disease, whereas a remedy may only offer relief.
- treatment: 'Treatment' refers to the process of care, not necessarily guaranteeing a fix.
- aggravation: 'Aggravation' means making a medical or practical issue worse.
Commonly confused with
- placebo: A remedy contains active healing properties, while a placebo relies on psychological expectation.
Word family
- remedial (adjective): Intended as a remedy or cure.
- remediable (adjective): Capable of being cured or corrected.
Collocations
- home remedy
- natural remedy
- effective remedy
- remedy a situation
Idioms & expressions
- beyond remedy
Example sentences
- "Hot tea with honey and lemon is a classic home remedy for a winter cold." Home care
Memory hook
REMEDY REMOVES the ailment to heal you RE-again. Healing again.
When not to use
Do not use for absolute preventative measures; remedies treat existing conditions.
Fun facts
- In legal terms, a 'remedy' is the legal means to recover a right or obtain redress for a wrong.
Explore more words
remedial, antidote, redress, amends, Countermeasure, remediation
Also appears in
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