noun
Uncommon
placebo
pluh-SEE-boh
Placebo (noun) means a harmless substance given as if it were medicine, with no real active ingredient. Example: “Half the trial participants received the real drug and half got a placebo.”
noun
1
A harmless substance given as if it were medicine, with no real active ingredient.
"Half the trial participants received the real drug and half got a placebo."
"Her headache improved even though she'd only taken a placebo."
How to use placebo
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA fake treatment used in medical trials to compare against the real drug, or more generally, something that works only because people believe it will.
Common pairings
placebo effect
placebo-controlled trial
sugar pill placebo
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like placebo.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- placebos, placeboes
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Half the trial participants received the real drug and half got a _____.
Etymology
From Latin placebo, "I will please," originally a line from a church prayer, later adopted into medicine for a "pleasing" but medically inactive treatment.
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for placebo
See all rhymes for placebo →Frequently asked questions
What does “placebo” mean?
The word “placebo” means a harmless substance given as if it were medicine, with no real active ingredient. In plain terms, a fake treatment used in medical trials to compare against the real drug, or more generally, something that works only because people believe it will.
How do you pronounce “placebo”?
“Placebo” is pronounced pluh-SEE-boh (/pləˈsi.boʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “placebo” in a sentence?
Here is “placebo” used in a sentence: “Half the trial participants received the real drug and half got a placebo.”
What part of speech is “placebo”?
“Placebo” is a noun.
Where does the word “placebo” come from?
The word “placebo” comes from Latin. From Latin placebo, "I will please," originally a line from a church prayer, later adopted into medicine for a "pleasing" but medically inactive treatment.
Is “placebo” a common word?
“Placebo” is an uncommon word in modern English.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include placebo:
