remedy
REM-uh-dee
/ˈrɛmɪdi/
A medicine or treatment for a disease or injury; a way of setting right an undesirable situation.
In a medical context, it often refers to a simple or traditional cure, like a 'home remedy.'
The story behind the word. The Latin 'remedium' literally means 'that which restores health.' It shares a root with 'medical' and 'medication.'
Word relationships
- cure: A cure ends a condition permanently; a remedy treats the symptoms or the condition but may not be a permanent 'cure.'
- treatment: Treatment is the process of care; remedy is the specific agent used in that process.
Commonly confused with
- placebo: A remedy has an active therapeutic effect; a placebo works through the patient's belief rather than the substance itself.
Word family
- remedial (adjective): Provided or intended as a remedy or cure.
- remediation (noun): The action of remedying something, especially environmental damage.
Collocations
- home remedy
- natural remedy
- effective remedy
- remedy the situation
Idioms & expressions
- beyond remedy (impossible to fix)
Example sentences
- "Honey and lemon is a well-known home remedy for a sore throat." A traditional health tip.
- "The pharmacopoeia contains a list of medicinal drugs with their effects and directions for use as a remedy." A formal medical reference.
Memory hook
RE-MEDY: It helps you RE-gain your MED-ical health. Fix it again.
When not to use
In high-level pharmacology, 'medication' or 'pharmaceutical' is preferred over 'remedy,' which can sound a bit informal or folk-ish.
Fun facts
- In law, a 'remedy' is the means by which a court of law enforces a right or imposes a penalty.
Related words
Explore more words
remedial, antidote, redress, amends, Countermeasure, remediation
Also appears in
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