paregoric

English

Alternative forms

• paregorick (obsolete)

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek παρηγορικός (parēgorikós, “soothing”), from παρηγορέω (parēgoréō, “to console, comfort”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pæɹɪˈɡɒɹɪk/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /pɛɹɪˈɡɔɹɪk/
• Hyphenation: par‧e‧gor‧ic

Noun

paregoric (countable and uncountable, plural paregorics)

1. A painkiller; a medicine which soothes or relieves pain; specifically the traditional patent medicine consisting of camphorated tincture of opium.
   • 1934, James T. Farrell, chapter 16, in The Young Manhood of Studs Lonigan:

     They bought paregoric in the drug store and drank it. They formed a drugged and stupefied line against the side of the drug store building. Studs was so helpless that Red Kelly had to take him home.

   • 2004, David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas, London: Hodder and Stoughton, →ISBN:

     My local doctor promises to accompany me ashore, spare no expense to obtain powerful paregorics & remain at my bedside until my recovery is compleat, even if Prophetess must leave for California without us.

Derived terms

• PG (slang)

Adjective

paregoric (comparative more paregoric, superlative most paregoric)

1. Assuaging or soothing pain.

   paregoric elixir

Romanian

Etymology

From paregorie +‎ -ic.

Noun

paregoric n (plural paregorice)

1. consolation

Declension

Declension of paregoric

	singular		plural
	indefinite articulation	definite articulation	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) paregoric	paregoricul	(niște) paregorice	paregoricele
genitive/dative	(unui) paregoric	paregoricului	(unor) paregorice	paregoricelor
vocative	paregoricule		paregoricelor

References

• paregoric in Academia Română, Micul dicționar academic, ediția a II-a, Bucharest: Univers Enciclopedic, 2010. →ISBN