- Today's Word
Mollify
[MOL-uh-fye]
Definition
- (verb) To calm someone down when they’re angry or upset, to soothe their emotions, or to make someone less hostile. It can also mean to reduce the severity or intensity of something.
Example
After the waiter spilled soup on the angry customer, the restaurant manager tried to mollify him by offering a free meal and dessert.
Fun Fact
The word “mollify” comes from the Latin word “mollificare,” which literally means “to make soft.” It’s derived from “mollis” (meaning soft) and “facere” (meaning to make). The word first appeared in English in the 15th century, originally referring to the physical softening of something, like leather or wax. Over time, its meaning evolved to focus more on emotional softening rather than physical. This evolution mirrors a common pattern in language where words describing physical actions come to be used for emotional or psychological states. Interestingly, the same Latin root “mollis” gives us other words like “mollusc” (soft-bodied sea creatures) and “emollient” (something that softens or soothes skin), showing how one root word can branch into different but related meanings.
(adjective) Showing great attention to detail or correct behavior; strictly attentive to rules and etiquette
The punctilious editor caught every misplaced comma and inconsistent font size before the report went to print.
Punctilious derives from the Italian puntiglio and Spanish puntillo, both meaning “a fine point” — diminutives of punto, meaning “point,” from the Latin punctum. It entered English in the 17th century to describe someone obsessively attentive to the fine points of conduct, protocol, and procedure.