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Where does the word "placebo" come from? It comes from Latin placebo, and was adopted directly into English (1780s).
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Where does the word "placebo" come from? It comes from Latin placebo, and was adopted directly into English (1780s).
Placebo’s story begins in Latin: placebo meant “I shall please.” Literally I shall please, originally a funeral vespers phrase. It reached English by 1780s as placebo. Adopted for a medically inactive treatment given to please or reassure a patient. Today, placebo means a substance with no active therapeutic effect, given to satisfy a patient's expectation of treatment.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient placebo "I shall please", literally I shall please, originally a funeral vespers phrase.
- Stage 2 · English · 1780s placebo "a substance with no therapeutic effect given for psychological benefit", adopted for a medically inactive treatment given to please or reassure a patient.