- Today's Word
Panacea
pan-uh-SEE-uh
Definition
- (noun) A solution or remedy for all problems, difficulties, or diseases; a universal cure.
Example
While renewable energy is a significant step forward, it is not a panacea for all environmental challenges.
Fun Fact
“Panacea” originates from the Greek word panakeia, which combines pan- (“all”) and akos (“remedy”). In Greek mythology, Panacea was the goddess of healing and daughter of Asclepius, the god of medicine. The term entered English during the 16th century to describe the mythical “universal cure” sought by alchemists and physicians. Although no such cure exists, the word has endured as a metaphor for overly simplistic solutions to complex problems.
(adjective) Swollen and distended; or, in reference to language, pompously inflated and unnecessarily complex
The report’s turgid prose buried what should have been a straightforward recommendation under layers of jargon and self-importance.
Turgid derives from the Latin turgidus, meaning “swollen” or “inflated,” from turgere (“to swell”). It entered English in the 17th century first in its literal biological sense — describing swollen tissue or distended plant cells — before its metaphorical application to bloated, overblown language became equally common.