Panacea
[pan-ə-SEE-ə]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Greek, 16th century
1.
A solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases.
Examples of Panacea in a sentence
"Even with the advancements of modern medicine, some people hope to find a panacea to cure all illnesses."
"My neighbors have wishful thinking that the new traffic light on our street will be a panacea."
About Panacea
The answer to all of life’s problems sounds nice, but we know that no such thing exists. "Panacea" is sometimes used critically against claims that a suggested solution could fix all of the current issues with something. It comes from the Greek "panakēs," meaning "all-healing."
Did you Know?
Alchemists were early chemists who attempted to find a secret method to turn metal into gold. They were also on the hunt for the “elixir of life,” or a panacea that was rumored to solve all illnesses. Such hunts have been popular throughout history, with everyone from alchemists to snake oil salesmen, but today's doctors might say that the closest thing we have to a panacea is a nutritious diet and regular exercise.
