definitions

antidote

[ an-ti-doht ]
/ ˈæn tɪˌdoʊt /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR antidote ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a medicine or other remedy for counteracting the effects of poison, disease, etc.
something that prevents or counteracts injurious or unwanted effects: Good jobs are the best antidote to teenage crime.

verb (used with object), an·ti·dot·ed, an·ti·dot·ing.

to counteract with an antidote: Medication was given to antidote the poison the child had swallowed.

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RELATED WORDS

remedy, cure, corrective, countermeasure, medicine, antitoxin, preventive, antivenin, counteractant, counteragent, negator, neutralizer

Nearby words

antidisestablishmentarianism, antidiuresis, antidiuretic, antidiuretic hormone, antidoron, antidote, antidromic, antidrug, antidumping, antidune, antielectron

Origin of antidote

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

Related forms

an·ti·dot·al, an·ti·dot·i·cal [an-ti-dot-i-kuh l] /ˌæn tɪˈdɒt ɪ kəl/, adjectivean·ti·dot·al·ly, an·ti·dot·i·cal·ly, adverb

Can be confused

anecdote antedate antidote
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for antidote

British Dictionary definitions for antidote

antidote

/ (ˈæntɪˌdəʊt) /

noun

med a drug or agent that counteracts or neutralizes the effects of a poison
anything that counteracts or relieves a harmful or unwanted condition; remedy

Derived Forms

antidotal, adjective

Word Origin for antidote

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

Medicine definitions for antidote

antidote

[ ăn′tĭ-dōt′ ]

n.

An agent used to neutralize or counteract the effects of a poison.

Related forms

an′ti•dot′al (ăn′tĭ-dōt′l) adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Science definitions for antidote

antidote

[ ăn′tĭ-dōt′ ]

A substance that counteracts the effects of a poison.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.