pal‧li‧a‧tive /ˈpæliətɪv $ -ətɪv, -eɪtɪv/ noun [countable]

1. formal something done to make a bad situation seem better, but which does not solve the problem:
short-term economic palliatives

2. medical a medical treatment that will not cure an illness but will reduce the pain
—palliative adjective [usually before noun]:
palliative care

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲