the.com/palliative

Not curing the problem, just negotiating a cease-fire with your symptoms.

means A treatment that eases or soothes the pain of a condition without actually curing the underlying disease.

from From Latin 'palliare,' meaning 'to cloak,' built from 'pallium,' a cloak or covering. The image is right there in the root: a palliative doesn't remove the wound, it throws a cloak over it, hiding or softening the hurt while whatever's underneath remains unchanged.

root meaning
from latin pallium, a cloak that hides things
common mix-up
not the same as hospice, which implies dying soon
applies broadly
works for diseases, pain, and bad excuses alike
medical goal
comfort over cure, quality over quantity
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