purgative

American  

[pur-guh-tiv] / ˈpɜr gə tɪv /

adjective

1. purging or cleansing, especially by causing evacuation of the bowels.

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noun

1. a purgative medicine or agent; cathartic.

purgative British  

/ ˈpɜːɡətɪv /

noun

1. a drug or agent for purging the bowels

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adjective

1. causing evacuation of the bowels; cathartic

Other Word Forms

• nonpurgative
  adjective
• nonpurgatively
  adverb
• purgatively
  adverb
• unpurgative
  adjective
• unpurgatively
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of purgative

1350–1400; < Late Latin pūrgātīvus ( see purgation, -ive); replacing Middle English purgatyf < Middle French < Late Latin, as above

Example Sentences

Whether the Purgative virtue of Catharticks be increased or lessened, or even totally destroy'd by a strong and continued Cold?

From Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society - Vol 1 - 1666 Giving some Accompt of the present Undertakings, Studies, and Labours of the Ingenious in many considerable parts of the World by Oldenburg, Henry

He puts also the example of the Aloes, which if it be washt, looseth the Purgative vertue; or that which it hath, is but weake.

From Chocolate: or, An Indian Drinke By the wise and Moderate use whereof, Health is preserved, Sicknesse Diverted, and Cured, especially the Plague of the Guts; vulgarly called The New Disease ; Fluxes, Consumptions, & Coughs of the Lungs, with sundry other desperate Diseases. By it also, Conception is Caused, the Birth Hastened and facilitated, Beauty Gain'd and continued. by Wadsworth, James

And the Mechasuchil hath a Purgative quality; for in the Indies they make a purging portion of it.

From Chocolate: or, An Indian Drinke By the wise and Moderate use whereof, Health is preserved, Sicknesse Diverted, and Cured, especially the Plague of the Guts; vulgarly called The New Disease ; Fluxes, Consumptions, & Coughs of the Lungs, with sundry other desperate Diseases. By it also, Conception is Caused, the Birth Hastened and facilitated, Beauty Gain'd and continued. by Wadsworth, James

First came the Purgative Exercises: the object of these was to cleanse and search out the very recesses of the soul; as fire separates gold from alloy.

From By What Authority? by Benson, Robert Hugh

Purgative Medicines.—Salts, one ounce; Calomel, five grains; or Socotrine Aloes, two drachms for moderate sized dog.

From The Dog by Dinks