— mitigable /mit"i geuh beuhl/ , adj. — mitigatedly , adv. — mitigation , n. — mitigative, mitigatory /mit"i geuh tawr'ee, -tohr'ee/ , adj. — mitigator , n.
/mit"i gayt'/ , v. , mitigated, mitigating .
v.t.
1. to lessen in force or intensity, as wrath, grief, harshness, or pain; moderate.
2. to make less severe: to mitigate a punishment.
3. to make (a person, one's state of mind, disposition, etc.) milder or more gentle; mollify; appease.
v.i.
4. to become milder; lessen in severity.
[ 1375-1425; late ME mitigaten mitigatus (ptp. of mitigare to calm, soften, soothe), equiv. to mit ( is ) mild, soft, gentle + -ig- (comb. form of agere to do, cause to do, make) + -atus -ATE 1 ]
Usage . MITIGATE, whose central meaning is "to lessen" or "make less severe," is sometimes confused with MILITATE, "to have effect or influence," in the phrase mitigate against: This criticism in no way militates (not mitigates ) against your going ahead with your research. Although this use of MITIGATE occasionally occurs in edited writing, it is rare and is widely regarded as an error.