Mitigate
/ˈmɪt.ɪ.ɡeɪt/noun
To make something less severe, harmful, painful, or intense.
Did you know?Mitigate entered English through legal and scholarly Latin, where its original sense was literally to reduce harshness or severity rather than eliminate a problem entirely.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ag-
“To drive, lead, or set in motion; the root behind the Latin verbal element in mitigare.”
Classical Latin
Latin
mitis
“Mild, gentle, soft, or not harsh.”
Classical Latin
Latin
mitigare
“To make mild, soften, or lessen in severity; formed with mitis and a verbal suffix associated with acting or causing.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
mitigatus
“Softened, moderated, or made less severe; the past participial form.”
16th Century
English
mitigate
“To lessen the severity of something, especially punishment, suffering, or a harmful condition.”
Modern English
English
mitigate
“To reduce the intensity, seriousness, or harmful effects of something.”