palliative
adj.adj. describing medical care that focuses on making a person feel comfortable and reducing pain rather than curing an illness. It can also describe a quick fix for a problem that does not solve the root cause.
adj. relieving pain or alleviating symptoms without dealing with the underlying cause of a condition. Often used to describe medical treatments for terminal illnesses or figurative measures that provide temporary relief for systemic problems.
The patient received palliative care to manage his symptoms at home.
The hospital's palliative team focuses on improving the quality of life for patients with chronic respiratory diseases.
Economists argued that the tax cut was merely a palliative measure, providing short-term relief to consumers without addressing the structural issues causing high inflation.
From Middle French palliatif, from New Latin *palliātīvus, from Medieval Latin palliō (“to cloak”), from Latin pallium (“a cloak”).
Commonly appears in the fixed phrase 'palliative care'. When used figuratively, it often carries a slightly critical tone, suggesting a solution is insufficient.