potion

American  

[poh-shuhn] / ˈpoʊ ʃən /

noun

1. a drink or draft, especially one having or reputed to have medicinal, poisonous, or magical powers.

   a love potion; a sleeping potion.

   Synonyms:

   philter, concoction, brew, elixir

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potion British  

/ ˈpəʊʃən /

noun

1. a drink, esp of medicine, poison, or some supposedly magic beverage

2. a rare word for beverage

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Etymology

Origin of potion

1300–50; Middle English pocion < Latin pōtiōn- (stem of pōtiō ) a drinking, equivalent to pōt ( us ), variant of pōtātus, past participle of pōtāre to drink + -iōn- -ion; replacing Middle English pocioun < Anglo-French < Latin, as above

Explanation

If you meet up with any witches on Halloween, don’t drink the potion they offer you. This liquid could be poisonous, magical, or it could simply taste very strange. While a potion can be any drinkable liquid, it usually refers to medicinal concoctions or mysterious brews, as found in fairy tales and fables. This noun is related to the Latin verb, potare, which means, “to drink.” You might also notice its similarity to the adjective potable, another word for “drinkable.” Some common types you may read about or hear about are “sleeping potions,” “love potions,” and “magic potions.”

Related Words

• draught
• elixir