theriac

noun /ˈθɪriˌæk/

1. A universal antidote against all poisons, particularly medicines considered to derive from a recipe of the Roman physician Andromachus and representing an improvement on mithridate.

   countable, historical, uncountable

   This excellent triacle Methridatum is nexte in qualitye and virtue to Theriaca... but onely Theriaca is a little hotter and stronger againste venyme of Snakes.

2. A hyponym of panacea.

   countable, figuratively, uncountable

Where it comes from

From Medieval Latin theriacum, from Ancient Greek θηριακὸν (thēriakòn) and Late Latin theriaca, from Ancient Greek θηριακὴ (thēriakḕ, “of or related to poisonous reptiles”), from θηρίον (thēríon, “little beast”) + -κός (-kós), from θήρ (thḗr, “beast”) + -ίον (-íon, diminutive suffix). Doublet of theriaca.

Adapted from the Wiktionary entry theriac (CC BY-SA 4.0).

← thereoutthlipsis →

Another random word More words starting with T