Word Study
propitiatory
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Adjective propitiatory has 2 senses
- propitiatory(a = adj.pert) expiative, expiatory - having power to atone for or offered by way of expiation or propitiation; "expiatory (or propitiatory) sacrifice"
- propitiatory(s = adj.all) propitiative - intended to reconcile or appease; "sent flowers as a propitiatory gesture" Derived form verb propitiate1
CIDE DICTIONARY
propitiatory, a. [L. propitiatorius: cf. F. propitiatoire.].
Having the power to make propitious; pertaining to, or employed in, propitiation; expiatory; as, a propitiatory sacrifice. Sharp. [1913 Webster]
propitiatory, n. [L. propitiatorium.].
The mercy seat; -- so called because a symbol of the propitiated Jehovah. Bp. Pearson. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
propitiatory, adj. serving or intended to propitiate (a propitiatory smile).
Derivative
propitiatorily adv.
Etymology
ME f. LL propitiatorius (as PROPITIATE)
THESAURUS
propitiatory
Christlike, Christly, acquiescent, apologetic, appeasing, ascetic, atoning, celestial, cleansing, compensational, compensatory, compliant, conciliatory, deferential, divine, empyrean, expiatory, expurgatory, godlike, godly, heavenly, incarnate, incarnated, ingratiating, intercessional, intercessive, irenic, lustral, lustrational, lustrative, made flesh, mediative, mediatory, mollifying, obeisant, obliging, pacific, pacificatory, pacifying, penitential, piacular, placative, placatory, propitiative, purgative, purgatorial, purifying, reclamatory, recompensing, reconciliatory, redeeming, redemptive, redressing, reparative, reparatory, repentant, repenting, restitutional, restitutive, restitutory, righting, salvational, satisfactional, self-existent, soothing, squaring, superhuman, supernatural, tractable, transcendent
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