appeasement
UK: əˈpiːzmənt | US: əˈpiːzmənt
n. the act of calming or satisfying someone, often by conceding to their demands
n. a policy of making political or material concessions to avoid conflict
appeasement = appease<to pacify> + ment<noun suffix>
- appease: From Old French apaisier ("to pacify"), derived from a- (adverbial prefix) + pais ("peace"). The root pais traces back to Latin pax ("peace").
- ment: A noun-forming suffix from Latin -mentum, indicating the result or means of an action.
Etymology Origin:
The word appeasement emerged in Middle English (14th century) via Old French, combining the verb appease (to calm or placate) with the suffix -ment to denote the act or policy of pacification. Historically, it gained political prominence in the 1930s regarding concessions to aggressive powers, notably Nazi Germany. The logic follows: peace (Latin pax) → to make peace (appease) → the act of making peace (appeasement).
The treaty was criticized as mere appeasement of the invading forces.
Parents sometimes use toys as appeasement for fussy children.
His speech aimed at the appeasement of public anger over the scandal.
Historians debate whether appeasement delayed or accelerated World War II.
The manager’s appeasement of the dissatisfied employees prevented a strike.