placatory

[ pley-kuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, plak-uh- ]
See synonyms for placatory on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. serving, tending, or intended to placate: a placatory reply.

Origin of placatory

1
From the Late Latin word plācātōrius, dating back to 1630–40. See placate1, -tory1

Other words from placatory

  • un·pla·ca·to·ry, adjective

Words Nearby placatory

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use placatory in a sentence

  • "She's so excited over Kate's coming home," said Mrs. Barrington with a placatory smile.

    The Precipice | Elia Wilkinson Peattie
  • She looked down at me with such a placatory and genuinely feminine smile I decided I'd been foolish to be offended.

  • Wherefore, instead of quarrelling with the deputation, he rose with placatory phrases in his mouth.

    A Romance in Transit | Francis Lynde
  • Henceforth the ceremonial, instead of placatory and expiatory, became nuptial.

  • Eve looked round with a delightful placatory smile which conjured an answering smile into the face of her husband.

    Mr. Prohack | E. Arnold Bennett

British Dictionary definitions for placatory

placatory

less commonly placative (pləˈkeɪtɪv, ˈplækətɪv)

/ (pləˈkeɪtərɪ, -trɪ) /


adjective
  1. placating or intended to placate

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012