se|date´ness

se|date¹ «sih DAYT», adjective.

quiet, calm, and composed; serious; undisturbed by passion or excitement: »

She is very sedate for a child and would rather read and sew than play. One of those calm, quiet, sedate natures, to whom the temptations of turbulent nerves or vehement passions are things utterly incomprehensible (Harriet Beecher Stowe).

SYNONYM(S): placid, staid, sober, collected, unruffled.

╂[< Latin sēdātus, past participle of sēdāre to calm; (originally) to seat, related to sedēre to sit]

–se|date´ly, adverb.

–se|date´ness, noun.

se|date² «sih DAYT», transitive verb, -dat|ed, -dat|ing.

to treat or calm with sedatives: »

They tried…to sedate her, and take care of her—and she would not let them (Theodore H. White).

╂[back formation < sedation]