# placate

> English word · Verb · IPA /pləˈkeɪt/ · frequency rank #38,555

## Definitions
1. To calm; to bring peace to; to influence someone who was furious to the point that they become content or at least no longer irate.

## Etymology
First attested in the late 17ᵗʰ century; borrowed from Latin plācātus, perfect passive participle of plācō (“appease, placate”, literally “smooth, smoothen”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix) for more), ultimately thought to be from Proto-Indo-European *plāk- (“smooth, flat”), from *pele- (“broad, flat, plain”). Related to Latin placeō (“appease”), Old English flōh (“flat stone, chip”). More at please.

## Easily confused with
- **place** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/placate-vs-place)
- **plate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/placate-vs-plate)
- **Platte** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/placate-vs-platte)
- **playmate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/placate-vs-playmate)
- **palate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palate-vs-placate)
- **placard** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/placard-vs-placate)

## Common misspellings (10)
`lpacate`, `palcate`, `plaacte`, `placaet`, `placatte`, `placcate`, `plactae`, `plcaate`, `pllacate`, `pplacate`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/placate