medicate

English edit

Etymology edit

From Latin medicātus, past participle of medicō; Equivalent to medic +‎ -ate.

Pronunciation edit

IPA^(key): /ˈmɛdɪkeɪt/

Verb edit

medicate (third-person singular simple present medicates, present participle medicating, simple past and past participle medicated)

(transitive) To prescribe or administer medication to.
(transitive, of a substance) To have a medicinal or healing effect on a person, body part, or ailment; to act on.
- 1998 September 7, Aimee Harms, “Change of heart”, in alt.support.eating-disord‎^[1] (Usenet):
  I started to think of food as my friend instead of my foe. It medicates my body. Every bite of food I intake I think of how it is going to make me stronger and help all my organs function.
- 2008 March 18, Logan Shaw, “Antihistamine nasal spray over the counter?”, in misc.consumers.frugal-living‎^[2] (Usenet):
  I would just buy Claritin, or its generic equivalent Loratadine. It's non-drowsy, it's cheap, and it works. Yes, it medicates your whole system, but I don't know of any significant ill effects from that.