Word of the Day

: December 22, 2008

conciliatory

adjective kun-SILL-yuh-tor-ee

What It Means

: tending to win over from a state of hostility or distrust : intended to gain the goodwill or favor of someone

conciliatory in Context

As the irate customer yelled, the manager adopted a soothing, conciliatory tone and promised that the situation would be remedied.

Did You Know?

If you are "conciliatory" towards someone, you're trying to win them over to your side. The verb "conciliate" was borrowed into English in the mid-16th century and descends from the Latin verb "conciliare," meaning "to assemble, unite, or win over." "Conciliare," in turn, comes from Latin "concilium," meaning "assembly" or "council." "Conciliatory," which appeared in English a bit later in the 16th century, traces back to "conciliare" by way of the Latin adjective "conciliatorius." Another word that has "conciliare" as a root is "reconcile," the earliest meaning of which is "to restore to friendship or harmony."