placebo

A substance that has positive effects as a result of a patient’s perception that it is beneficial rather than as a result of a causative ingredient.

An inactive substance or preparation used as a control in an experiment or test to determine the effectiveness of a medicinal drug.

Something of no intrinsic remedial value that is used to appease or reassure another.

The service or office of vespers for the dead.

In the Roman Catholic Church, the vespers of the office for the dead.

A medicine adapted rather to pacify than to benefit a patient.

The first antiphon of the vespers for the dead.

A prescription with no pharmacological activity given to a patient to humor or satisfy the desire for medical treatment.

a dose of a compound having no pharmacological activity given to a subject in a medical experiment as part of a control experiment in a test of the effectiveness of another, active pharmacological agent.