panacea

¹

[ pan-uh-see-uh ]

noun

1. a remedy for all disease or ills.

   Synonyms: cure-all, nostrum, elixir

2. an answer or solution for all problems or difficulties:

   His economic philosophy is a good one, but he tries to use it as a panacea.

   Synonyms: cure-all, nostrum, elixir

Panacea

²

[ pan-uh-see-uh ]

noun

1. an ancient Greek goddess of healing.

panacea

/ ˌpænəˈsɪə /

noun

1. a remedy for all diseases or ills

Derived Forms

• ˌpanaˈcean, adjective

Other Words From

• pana·cean adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of panacea¹

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin, from Greek panákeia, equivalent to panake-, stem of panakḗs “all-healing” ( pan- “all” + akḗs “a cure”) + -ia noun suffix; pan-, -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of panacea¹

C16: via Latin from Greek panakeia healing everything, from pan all + akēs remedy

Example Sentences

It’s not a panacea or a way to fully absolve ourselves of responsibility, but offsets can help, especially where eliminating emissions won’t happen easily—just be sure to do your homework to find a solid program.

From Popular-Science

The challenge for Kohl’s will be to avoid the trap Penney fell into, thinking that Sephora was a panacea to its overall difficulties.

From Fortune

Still, technology may not be a panacea for the hard-pressed farming sector.

From Fortune

Free fridges are not a panacea to food insecurity, says Sam Pawliger, who is heading up a community fridge project out of the Clinton Hill Fort Greene Mutual Aid group in Brooklyn.

From Eater

They have to acknowledge that recreation is not a panacea and that there are hard things that come with the outsize power of visitors there for the outdoors.

From Outside Online

CAP came out for airstrikes against ISIS inside Iraq in June, but warned they were not a panacea.

From The Daily Beast

Relying on a phone call a week from your kids is hardly a panacea for loneliness.

From The Daily Beast

The Common Core standards are not a panacea; much depends on the curricula that states and districts select to implement them.

From The Daily Beast

In these parts of the world it was (and probably still is) the local panacea of choice.

From The Daily Beast

But Levy does admit that his “fantasy” is no short-term panacea.

From The Daily Beast

Ahimsa truly understood is in my humble opinion a panacea for all evils mundane and extra-mundane.

From Project Gutenberg

Take him in repose, and he looked a lank ascetic who dreamed of a happy land where flagellation was a joy and pain a panacea.

From Project Gutenberg

She saw a pained look flit over the countenance of the visitor, and administered the only panacea she possessed.

From Project Gutenberg

I shall next proceed to consider the Bill which the Government have introduced as a panacea for the woes of Ireland.

From Project Gutenberg

They contained about 60% alcohol, therefore it was a panacea for all ills that Harrison was afflicted with, and he had many.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• elixir