antidote

[an-ti-doht]

noun

1. a medicine or other remedy for counteracting the effects of poison, disease, etc.

2. something that prevents or counteracts injurious or unwanted effects.

   Good jobs are the best antidote to teenage crime.

verb (used with object)

antidoted, antidoting 

1. to counteract with an antidote.

   Medication was given to antidote the poison the child had swallowed.

antidote

/ ˈæntɪˌdəʊt /

noun

1. med a drug or agent that counteracts or neutralizes the effects of a poison

2. anything that counteracts or relieves a harmful or unwanted condition; remedy

antidote

1. A substance that counteracts the effects of a poison.

Other Word Forms

• antidotal adjective
• antidotical adjective
• antidotally adverb
• antidotically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of antidote¹

1400–50; late Middle English (< Middle French ) < Latin antidotum < Greek antídoton something given against (i.e., for counteracting), equivalent to anti- anti- + dotón neuter of dotós given, verbid of didónai to give; akin to datum

Word History and Origins

Origin of antidote¹

C15: from Latin antidotum, from Greek antidoton something given as a countermeasure, from _anti- + didonai to give

Example Sentences

When Conti hackers attacked the Irish Health Service in 2021 they too gave their antidote away for free claiming not to have deliberately targeted hospitals.

From BBC

I go to my office and start writing — that’s my antidote.

From Los Angeles Times

The Liberal Democrats hope they can be seen to represent the clearest and most authentic big party antidote to Reform.

From BBC

Alder was the night's star soprano, promising "an uplifting evening" as an antidote to global political turmoil.

From BBC

An antidote to shoutier, perhaps less truly confident cities, there is an old joke that the local tourist board motto is: "Don't tell anyone or the place will be heaving."

From BBC

Related Words

• corrective 
• countermeasure 
• cure 
• remedy