remedy

[ rem-i-dee ]

noun

, plural rem·e·dies.

1. something that cures or relieves a disease or bodily disorder; a healing medicine, application, or treatment.

   Synonyms: medication, medicament, specific, restorative, cure

2. something that corrects or removes an evil of any kind.

   Synonyms: antidote, corrective

3. Law. legal redress; the legal means of enforcing a right or redressing a wrong.
4. Coining. a certain allowance at the mint for deviation from the standard weight and fineness of coins; tolerance.

verb (used with object)

, rem·e·died, rem·e·dy·ing.

1. to cure, relieve, or heal.

   Antonyms: worsen

2. to restore to the natural or proper condition; put right:

   to remedy a matter.

   Synonyms: renew, redress, correct, repair

3. to counteract or remove:

   to remedy an evil.

remedy

/ rɪˈmiːdɪəbəl; ˈrɛmɪdɪ /

noun

1. usually foll byfor or against any drug or agent that cures a disease or controls its symptoms
2. usually foll byfor or against anything that serves to put a fault to rights, cure defects, improve conditions, etc

   a remedy for industrial disputes

3. the legally permitted variation from the standard weight or quality of coins; tolerance

verb

1. to relieve or cure (a disease, illness, etc) by or as if by a remedy
2. to put to rights (a fault, error, etc); correct

Derived Forms

• reˈmediably, adverb
• remediable, adjective
• ˈremediless, adjective

Other Words From

• non·reme·dy noun plural nonremedies
• un·reme·died adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of remedy¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; (for the noun) Middle English remedie, from Anglo-French, from Latin remedium, from re- re- + med(ērī) “to heal” ( medical ) + -ium -ium; (for the verb) late Middle English remedien, from Middle French remedier, from Latin remediāre, derivative of remedium

Word History and Origins

Origin of remedy¹

C13: from Anglo-Norman remedie , from Latin remedium a cure, from remedērī to heal again, from re- + medērī to heal; see medical

Synonym Study

See cure.

Example Sentences

“We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to remedy this.”

From Los Angeles Times

Democrats’ task in the next several years, he said, will be to find better ways to speak to and remedy those gnawing concerns.

From Los Angeles Times

Chipotle decided to remedy its portion size issues after the company was hit with online claims of “shrinkflation.”

From Salon

Controllers were unable to remedy the situation, but the flight was nonetheless still declared a success.

From BBC

If you conduct an entire election campaign under the shadow of imminent physical violence, amid incessant threats of violence and promises of violence, you should not—perhaps—be surprised that women voters will experience a double indignity at losing their reproductive freedom in 2022 combined with threats of bodily harm if you attempt to do anything to remedy that in 2024.

From Slate

Related Words

• antidote
• countermeasure
• cure-all
• drug
• fix
• medicine
• panacea
• pill
• quick fix
• redress
• relief
• therapy
• treatment