meliorate

American  

[meel-yuh-reyt, mee-lee-uh-] / ˈmil yəˌreɪt, ˈmi li ə- /

verb (used with or without object)

meliorated, meliorating

1. ameliorate.

---

meliorate British  

/ ˈmiːlɪəˌreɪt, ˈmiːlɪərətɪv /

verb

1. a variant of ameliorate

---

Other Word Forms

• meliorable adjective
• meliorative adjective
• meliorator noun
• unmeliorated adjective

Etymology

Origin of meliorate

1545–55; < Latin meliōrātus (past participle of meliōrāre ) to make better, improve, equivalent to meliōr- (stem of melior ) better + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

“I consider such easy vehicles of knowledge, more happily calculated than any other, to preserve the liberty, stimulate the industry and meliorate the morals of an enlightened and free People.”

From Seattle Times • Sep. 15, 2021

Lords deliver lydeum lectures; ladies patronize ragged schools; committees of duchesses meliorate the condition of needlewomen.

From Sunny Memories of Foreign Lands, Volume 2 by Stowe, Harriet Beecher

These are the men of active wisdom, who lead armies to victory, and kingdoms to prosperity; or discover and improve the sciences, which meliorate and adorn the condition of humanity.

From Zoonomia, Vol. I Or, the Laws of Organic Life by Darwin, Erasmus

His father was much pleased to see his son endeavour to make himself agreeable in ladies’ society; he thought it augured a good sign, and would be conducive to meliorate and refine his manners.

From Alida or, Miscellaneous Sketches of Incidents During the Late American War. Founded on Fact by Comfield, Amelia Stratton

He did this very unwillingly, for it was his desire to do every thing in his power to meliorate the condition of his Protestant friends.

From Henry IV, Makers of History by Abbott, John S. C. (John Stevens Cabot)