placebo

2 definitions found

placebo - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Placebo \Pla*ce"bo\, n. [L., I shall please, fut. of placere to
     please.]
     1. (R. C. Ch.) The first antiphon of the vespers for the
        dead.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Med.) A prescription with no pharmacological activity
        given to a patient to humor or satisfy the desire for
        medical treatment.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Med.) a dose of a compound having no pharmacological
        activity given to a subject in a medical experiment as
        part of a control experiment in a test of the
        effectiveness of another, active pharmacological agent.
        [PJC]
  
     To sing placebo, to agree with one in his opinion; to be
        complaisant to. --Chaucer.
        [1913 Webster]

placebo - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  placebo
      n 1: an innocuous or inert medication; given as a pacifier or to
           the control group in experiments on the efficacy of a drug
      2: (Roman Catholic Church) vespers of the office for the dead