mitigation Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun to act in such a way as to cause an offense to seem less serious
    extenuation; palliation.
  2. noun a partial excuse to mitigate censure; an attempt to represent an offense as less serious than it appears by showing mitigating circumstances
    extenuation.
  3. noun the action of lessening in severity or intensity
    moderation.
    • the object being control or moderation of economic depressions

WordNet

Mit`i*ga"tion noun
Etymology
OE. mitigacioun, F. mitigation, fr. L. mitigatio.
Definitions
  1. The act of mitigating, or the state of being mitigated; abatement or diminution of anything painful, harsh, severe, afflictive, or calamitous; as, the mitigation of pain, grief, rigor, severity, punishment, or penalty. Syn. -- Alleviation; abatement; relief.

Webster 1913