Placebo
Pronunciation: /pləˈsiːboʊ/
Placebo (noun)
- A substance or treatment given in a study that has no active effect, used to compare with a real treatment.
- A control condition in an experiment where participants receive something that does not change the condition being tested.
- Something offered to make people feel better, but without real help or real change.
Examples
- The doctor gave a placebo to test the new medicine.
- Patients received a placebo when the real treatment was withheld.