English edit

Pronunciation edit

Etymology 1 edit

Borrowed from Middle French alexipharmaque (modern French alexipharmaque (archaic)), and from its etymon Latin alexipharmacon (antidote) (whence Late Latin alexipharmacum), from Ancient Greek ἀλεξῐφᾰ́ρμᾰκον (alexiphármakon, antidote; (generally) remedy; charm, spell), a noun use of the neuter of ἀλεξῐφᾰ́ρμᾰκος (alexiphármakos, acting as an antidote), from ἀλέξειν (aléxein) (the active infinitive of ἀλέξω (aléxō, to defend, guard, protect; to help; to keep off, turn aside, ward off), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂lek- (to protect)) + φάρμᾰκον (phármakon, drug, whether healing or poisonous; charm, potion, spell; colour, dye) + -ος (-os, suffix forming certain types of adjectives).[1]

Noun edit

alexipharmac (plural alexipharmacs)

  1. (pharmacology, chiefly archaic or historical) A medical remedy for protecting the body, or an antidote, against a harmful substance, especially a poison or venom (specifically, that of a snake); an alexipharmic, an antidote.
    Synonyms: (all archaic or historical) alexipharmacal, alexipharmacon, alexipharmacum, alexipharmakon, alexipharmic
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Translations edit

Etymology 2 edit

Borrowed from French alexipharmaque (archaic), and from its etymon Late Latin alexipharmacus, from Ancient Greek ἀλεξιφάρμακος (alexiphármakos) (see etymology 1).[1]

Adjective edit

alexipharmac (comparative more alexipharmac, superlative most alexipharmac)

  1. (pharmacology, chiefly archaic or historical) Of or pertaining to an alexipharmac; also, acting as an alexipharmac by protecting against or warding off the ill effects of a harmful substance, especially a poison or venom; alexipharmic.
    Synonyms: (all archaic or historical) alexipharmacal, alexipharmic, alexipharmical
Derived terms edit
Translations edit

References edit

  1. 1.0 1.1 alexipharmac, n. and adj.”, in OED Online  , Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, December 2021; alexipharmac, n. and adj.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Further reading edit