melior-, meliorat-
(Latin: better, to make better; to improve)
Ad praesens ova cras pullis sunt meliora. (Latin)
Eggs today are better than chickens tomorrow.
Like the English proverb, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." It is considered more important to hold on to what one has than to risk everything in speculation.
Aliudque cupido, mens aliud suadet. Video meliora proboque, deteriora sequor. (Latin statement)
Translation: "Desire persuades me one way, reason another. I see the better and approve it, but I follow the worse."
From Publius Ovidius Naso (43 B.C. - c. A.D. 17).
ameliorable (adjective), more ameliorable, most ameliorable
Capable to be made or improved: Abigail was given medication by her doctor that should make her painful condition much more ameliorable.
Michael had ameliorable scores on his test which proved to be more satisfactory and raised his chances of getting a scholarship.
ameliorate (verb), ameliorates; ameliorated; ameliorating
1. To make or to become better, to be more satisfactory; to improve: Although Becky had a new computer, which was supposed to ameliorate her work and save her time, she became quite confused and impatient trying to make it do what she wanted it to do!
2. To raise to a more desirable or more excellent quality or condition: Jack, who is only eighteen, is getting bald faster than normal for his young age and so he wants to have a lotion which will ameliorate this condition and at least maintain the quantity of hair that is still on his head!
3. Etymology: an alteration of meliorate, from French améliorer.
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2. To raise to a more desirable or more excellent quality or condition: Jack, who is only eighteen, is getting bald faster than normal for his young age and so he wants to have a lotion which will ameliorate this condition and at least maintain the quantity of hair that is still on his head!
3. Etymology: an alteration of meliorate, from French améliorer.
Ameliorate is derived from the Latin melior, "better" and it specifically refers to making something better and improving whatever really needs improving.
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ameliorating
1. Making or becoming better; improving.
2. Making more satisfactory.
3. Causing improvement in or reducing the bad effects of an unfavorable condition or situation.
2. Making more satisfactory.
3. Causing improvement in or reducing the bad effects of an unfavorable condition or situation.
amelioration
1. To make or to become better; to improve.
2. Changes that take place in languages so word meanings are more acceptable or so they have more respectable meanings. Synonym: melioration.
2. Changes that take place in languages so word meanings are more acceptable or so they have more respectable meanings. Synonym: melioration.
amelioration, melioration, pejoration
amelioration (uh meel" yuh RAY shuhn) (noun)
A making or becoming better; improvement: Efforts of amelioration are being made for the suffering of people who have lost their jobs.
melioration (meel" yuh RAY shuhn; mee" lee uh RAY shuhn) (noun)
1. The act or process of improving something or the state of being improved: The workers are hoping for a melioration of the financial situation for their company.
2. The linguistic process by which a word over a period of time grows more elevated in meaning or more positive in connotation: The word "nice" has gone through the process of melioration because it formerly meant "foolish".
2. The linguistic process by which a word over a period of time grows more elevated in meaning or more positive in connotation: The word "nice" has gone through the process of melioration because it formerly meant "foolish".
pejoration (pej uh RAY shuhn; pee" juh RAY shuhn) (noun)
1. The process or condition of worsening or degenerating; deterioration: The global financial situation is going through a process of pejoration.
2. The process by which the meaning of a word becomes negative or less elevated over a period of time: The word "silly", which formerly meant "deserving sympathy, helpless, or simple", has gone through pejoration, resulting in the meanings of "showing a lack of good sense, frivolous".
2. The process by which the meaning of a word becomes negative or less elevated over a period of time: The word "silly", which formerly meant "deserving sympathy, helpless, or simple", has gone through pejoration, resulting in the meanings of "showing a lack of good sense, frivolous".
Some would say that the process of the melioration of English vocabulary is balanced with the process of pejoration, because words become more elevated in meaning; while other words become less so; however, the amelioration of the situation is helped by the use of new dictionaries.
ameliorative
1. Having a tendency to make something better or to become better; to improve.
2. A reference to making something, which is bad or unsatisfactory, better.
2. A reference to making something, which is bad or unsatisfactory, better.
meliorable (adjective), more meliorable, most meliorable
Disposed to making better; improvable: Reading skills are considered meliorable depending on how much is read out load!
meliorate (verb), meliorates; meliorated; meliorating
1. To improve; to become better, or to make something better.
2. To improve, as in quality or condition; to ameliorate.
3. Etymology: "to make better", from Late Latin melioratus, the past participle of Latin meliorare, "to improve"; from melior, "better".
2. To improve, as in quality or condition; to ameliorate.
3. Etymology: "to make better", from Late Latin melioratus, the past participle of Latin meliorare, "to improve"; from melior, "better".
melioration (meel" yuh RAY shuhn; mee" lee uh RAY shuhn)
Semantic changes in words so their meanings are more acceptable or so they have more respectable meanings; amelioration.
melioration
1. The act or process of improving something or the state of being improved; an improvement.
2. The linguistic process by which a word over a period of time grows more elevated in meaning or more positive in connotation; such as, nice which formerly meant "foolish".
3. A condition that is superior to an earlier condition or situation.
2. The linguistic process by which a word over a period of time grows more elevated in meaning or more positive in connotation; such as, nice which formerly meant "foolish".
3. A condition that is superior to an earlier condition or situation.
meliorative (MEEL yuhr uh tiv; MEE lee uh ray" tiv; MEEL yuh ray" tiv)
1. That which is made more tolerable, easier to live with, or to accept.
2. Something which has been softened or that has become less unpleasant or fairly good.
2. Something which has been softened or that has become less unpleasant or fairly good.
meliorative, pejorative
meliorative (MEEL yuhr uh tiv; MEE lee uh ray" tiv; MEEL yuh ray" tiv) (noun)
That which is made more tolerable; something that has been softened: Instead of returning a critical comment from a colleague, Melinda chose to be more meliorative and it resulted in a more desirable conclusion to their discussion.
pejorative (pi JOR uh tiv) (noun)
Tending to make worse; derisive, derisory, demeaning, disparaging, derogatory; uncomplimentary: When Alisa used the pejorative "you're an idiot" with the young man, and although James was tempted to send stronger pejoratives back to her, much to his credit, he resisted the temptation.
If people are incapable of being meliorative with their bosses and choose to tell their employers that their ideas are "stupid", such actions would no doubt be considered pejorative and the result would very likely be unemployment for them.
meliorator
Someone who meliorates or who strives to make something better, less painful, etc.; such as, the senator has promised to meliorate, or to ameliorate, the economy so more people can get jobs and live better lives.
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