irenic

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek είρηνικος, from εἰρήνη (“peace”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ʌɪˈɹɛnɪk/

  Rhymes: -ɛnɪk, -iːnɪk

Adjective

irenic (comparative more irenic, superlative most irenic)

1. (chiefly theology) Promoting or fitted to promote peace; conciliatory, non-confrontational; peaceful.
   • 2001, Hywel Williams, The Guardian, 30 Nov 2001:

     The idea that the Jews of the region are not genetically distinct from other peoples of the area should be an irenic insight.

   • 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin 2003, p. 199:

     The philosophes contrasted their own irenic calls for tolerance with the church's historical record as the perennial source of cruelty and fanaticism.

   • 2011, Steven Pinker, The Better Angels of Our Nature, Penguin 2012, p. 343:

     The current comity between the United States and China […] is a recent reminder of the irenic effects of trade.

Related terms

• irenical
• irenicon
• irenics

Translations

Promoting or fitted to promote peace

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 和平的 (cmn) (hépíngde)

• French: irénique (fr) m and f
• Italian: irenico (it) m

References

• irenic in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911