PROPITIATORY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does propitiatory mean? 

• PROPITIATORY (adjective)
  The adjective PROPITIATORY has 2 senses:

1. having power to atone for or offered by way of expiation or propitiation

2. intended to reconcile or appease

  Familiarity information: PROPITIATORY used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PROPITIATORY (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having power to atone for or offered by way of expiation or propitiation

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Synonyms:

expiative; expiatory; propitiatory

Context example:

expiatory (or propitiatory) sacrifice

Sense 2

Meaning:

Intended to reconcile or appease

Synonyms:

propitiative; propitiatory

Context example:

sent flowers as a propitiatory gesture

Similar:

conciliative; conciliatory (intended to placate)

Derivation:

propitiate (make peace with)

 Context examples 

Saying this, with a jerk of his body, which might have been either propitiatory or derisive, he fell into step beside me.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)