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vermifuge

American  
[vur-muh-fyooj] / ˈvɜr məˌfyudʒ /

adjective

  1. serving to expel worms or other animal parasites from the intestines, as a medicine.


noun

  1. a vermifuge medicine or agent.

vermifuge British  
/ ˌvɜːmɪˈfjuːɡəl, ˈvɜːmɪˌfjuːdʒ /

noun

  1. any drug or agent able to destroy or expel intestinal worms; an anthelmintic

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • vermifugal adjective

Etymology

Origin of vermifuge

First recorded in 1690–1700; vermi- + -fuge

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In a dingy courtroom stinking of vermifuge, at Mays Landing, N. J., last week, two petty criminals stood before the bar of justice.

From Time Magazine Archive

He remembered hearing that vermifuge cures dogs of the "fits" and he saw no reason why it should not work on humans.

From Time Magazine Archive

When the horse can be spared, a strong dose of physic is an excellent vermifuge, so far as the long round worm is concerned.

From Domestic Animals History and description of the horse, mule, cattle, sheep, swine, poultry and farm dogs; with directions for their management, breeding, crossing, rearing, feeding, and preparation for a profitable market; also their diseases and remedies. Together with full directions for the management of the dairy. by Allen, Richard L.

In this country farriers give it to horses for bot-worms, and in Germany it is employed as a vermifuge for children.

From Herbal Simples Approved for Modern Uses of Cure by Fernie, William Thomas

He had voided several by Stool, after taking some vermifuge Medicines.

From Advice to the people in general, with regard to their health by Tissot, S. A. D. (Samuel Auguste David)