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irenic

adjective
ire·​nic | \ ī-ˈre-nik How to pronounce irenic (audio) , -ˈrē- How to pronounce irenic (audio) \

Definition of irenic

: favoring, conducive to, or operating toward peace, moderation, or conciliation
Other Words from irenic Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about irenic

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Other Words from irenic

irenically \ ī-​ˈre-​ni-​k(ə-​)lē How to pronounce irenically (audio) , -​ˈrē-​ \ adverb

Did You Know?

In Greek mythology, Eirene was one of the Horae, the goddesses of the seasons and natural order; in the Iliad the Horae are the custodians of the gates of Olympus. According to Hesiod, the Horae were the daughters of Zeus and a Titaness named Themis, and their names indicate their function and relation to human life. Eirene was the goddess of peace. Her name is also the Greek word for "peace," and it gave rise to irenic and other peaceable terms including irenics (a theological term for advocacy of Christian unity), Irena (the genus name of two species of birds found in southern Asia and the Philippines), and the name Irene.

Examples of irenic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 But what, specifically, do these conservatives want, besides a sense of thrill-in-combat that French’s irenic style denies them? — Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, "Ross Douthat Describes the Crisis of the Conservative Coalition," 7 June 2019 Germany has enjoyed a long summer living well and gladly under Mrs Merkel’s irenic inaction. — The Economist, "Europe’s grown-upHow Angela Merkel is changing, and not changing, Germany," 9 Sep. 2017

First Known Use of irenic

circa 1864, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for irenic

Greek eirēnikos, from eirēnē peace

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