evacuant

American  

[ih-vak-yoo-uhnt] / ɪˈvæk yu ənt /

adjective

1. evacuating; promoting thorough evacuation, especially from the bowels; cathartic; purgative.

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noun

1. an evacuant medicine or agent; cathartic; purgative.

evacuant British  

/ ɪˈvækjʊənt /

adjective

1. serving to promote excretion, esp of the bowels

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noun

1. an evacuant agent

Etymology

Origin of evacuant

First recorded in 1720–30, evacuant is from the Latin word ēvacuant- (stem of ēvacuāns, present participle of ēvacuāre ). See evacuate, -ant

Example Sentences

If sufficient indigestible material is not taken with the food, there will not be sufficient residue left after digestion to call for the exercise of the evacuant function of the intestines, and the consequence will be sluggishness and failure to bring about daily movements.

From Project Gutenberg

I have not heard what was then done for her, but, between the 15th of June, and 25th of July, the Doctor, at his different visits, gave her various medicines of the deobstruent, tonic, antispasmodic, diuretic, and evacuant kinds.

From Project Gutenberg

This favourable state is indicated by an excessive flow of saliva, or what is called "dribbling," and by a considerable amount of relaxation of the bowels-a condition that must not be mistaken for diarrhoea, and checked as if a disease, but rather, for the day or two it continues, encouraged as a critical evacuant.

From Project Gutenberg