mithridatism

American  

[mith-ri-dey-tiz-uhm] / ˈmɪθ rɪˌdeɪ tɪz əm /

noun

1. the production of immunity against the action of a poison by taking the poison in gradually increased doses.

---

mithridatism British  

/ -ˈdeɪ-, ˌmɪθrɪˈdætɪk, ˈmɪθrɪdeɪˌtɪzəm /

noun

1. immunity to large doses of poison by prior ingestion of gradually increased doses

---

Other Word Forms

• mithridatic adjective

Etymology

Origin of mithridatism

1850–55; after Mithridates VI ( def. ), said to have so immunized himself; -ism

Example Sentences

“One more thing. Do you know what mithridatism is?”

From Literature

The old notion as to "mithridatism" was that an animal or a man would have to be separately prepared and "immunised" by habituation for every distinct kind of poison.

From Project Gutenberg

This real or supposed immunity resulting from the introduction into the living body at intervals of a series of doses of a poison gradually increasing strength has been called "Mithridatism," and animals and men so treated have been said to be "mithradatized."

From Project Gutenberg