placebo

noun

pla·​ce·​bo plə-ˈsē-(ˌ)bō 

plural placebos

1

a

: a usually pharmacologically inert preparation prescribed more for the mental relief of the patient than for its actual effect on a disorder

b

: an inert or innocuous substance used especially in controlled experiments testing the efficacy of another substance (such as a drug)

2

: something tending to soothe

Did you know?

Doctors doing research on new treatments for disease often give one group a placebo while a second group takes the new medication. Since those in the placebo group usually believe they're getting the real thing, their own hopeful attitude may bring about improvement in their condition. Thus, for the real drug to be considered effective, it must produce even better results than the placebo. Placebos have another use as well. A doctor who suspects that a patient's physical symptoms are psychologically produced may prescribe a placebo in the hope that mentally produced symptoms can also be mentally cured.

Examples of placebo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the placebo group there was no such change in either microbial diversity or T cell type. —Kathy Willis, WIRED, 21 Dec. 2024

For emotional dysregulation, which Cortese said many people with ADHD experience, atomoxetine and stimulants were more helpful than a placebo. —Kristen Rogers, CNN, 17 Dec. 2024

While hard-and-fast studies of melatonin's overall efficacy are few, there does seem to be significant anecdotal evidence in scientific literature pointing to melatonin supplementation working well for some individuals and not much better than a placebo for others. —Michael Franco, New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2024

No large scientific studies show MERT is significantly better than a placebo in altering symptoms of autism, according to nine psychiatrists and neuroscientists with expertise in brain stimulation and autism. —Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, I shall please

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing placebo

• placebo effect

Kids Definition

placebo

noun

pla·​ce·​bo plə-ˈsē-bō 

plural placebos

1

: a medicine that usually has no effect on a disease and is prescribed by a doctor for the mental relief it offers a patient

2

something that is meant to soothe

Etymology

from Latin placebo "I shall please"

Medical Definition

placebo

noun

pla·​ce·​bo plə-ˈsē-(ˌ)bō 

plural placebos

1

: a usually pharmacologically inert preparation prescribed more for the mental relief of the patient than for its actual effect on a disorder

2

: an inert or innocuous substance used especially in controlled experiments testing the efficacy of another substance (as a drug)