Meaning & Definition of Placebo in English

Detailed Definitions

• Definition: A substance that has no pharmacological effect but is given to a patient as if it were a drug.

  Example Sentence: The doctor prescribed a placebo to help test the effectiveness of the new medication.

• Definition: Any treatment that has no active therapeutic effect, often used to compare with active treatments.

  Example Sentence: In the study, half of the participants received a placebo while the other half received the actual medication.

Etymology

Origin: From Latin placebo, meaning 'I shall please'.

Synonyms

Common Phrases and Expressions

• placebo effect: The phenomenon in which a patient experiences a perceived improvement in condition due to believing they are being treated.
• placebo group: A group of participants in an experiment that receives a placebo instead of the experimental treatment.

Translations

• Spanish: placebo

• French: placebo

• German: Placebo

• Russian: плацебо

Related Words

• nocebo: A substance that causes harmful effects due to the patient's negative expectations.

• treatment: The management and care of a patient to combat disease or injury.

Slang Meanings of placebo

• Meaning: A fake treatment or solution that is not meant to heal.

  Example Sentence: He didn't actually give his friend medicine; it was just a placebo.

• Meaning: A term used in wellness circles to describe ineffective remedies.

  Example Sentence: That herbal tea is just a placebo; it won't really cure anything.