panchreston

American  

[pan-kres-tuhn] / pænˈkrɛs tən /

noun

1. a proposed explanation intended to address a complex problem by trying to account for all possible contingencies but typically proving to be too broadly conceived and therefore oversimplified to be of any practical use.

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Etymology

Origin of panchreston

First recorded in 1625–35; from Latin panchrēstos “good for everything, universal” (restricted to medicines), from Greek pánchrēston, neuter of pánchrēstos “good for everything” (restricted to tools and medicines), equivalent to pan- + chrēs-, verbal stem of chrâsthai “to be useful” + -tos verbal adjective suffix; pan-