mithridate

American  

[mith-ri-dayt] / ˈmɪθ rɪˌdeɪt /

noun

Old Pharmacology.

1. a confection believed to contain an antidote to every poison.

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mithridate British  

/ ˈmɪθrɪˌdeɪt /

noun

1. obsolete a substance believed to be an antidote to every poison and a cure for every disease

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Etymology

Origin of mithridate

1520–30; earlier mithridatum < Medieval Latin, variant of Late Latin mithridātium, noun use of neuter of Mithridātius, equivalent to Mithridāt(ēs) Mithridates VI ( def. ) ( see mithridatism) + -ius -ious

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Explanation

Mithridate is an ancient cure or remedy that was said to counteract the effects of poison. During the Middle Ages, people would take mithridate in the hopes of warding off the plague. Though in past centuries it was widely considered a universal antidote to any poison, mithridate was not a scientifically proven cure but more of a mythical potion. Named for its supposed first-century Greek creator, Mithridates VI Eupator of Pontus, mithridate contained as many as 65 different ingredients. These included things like parsley, turpentine resin, and cinnamon. Mithridate was used to prevent or treat illness until the 19th century.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mithridate

Make pessaries of figs and the bruised leaves of dog's mercury, rolled up in lint, and if a stronger one is required, make one of myrrh, opopanax, ammoniac, galbanum, sagepanum, mithridate, agaric, coloquintida, tec.

From The Works of Aristotle the Famous Philosopher Containing his Complete Masterpiece and Family Physician; his Experienced Midwife, his Book of Problems and his Remarks on Physiognomy by Aristotle

If phlegm be a cause, let cinnamon be a spice used in all her meats and drinks, and let her take a little Venice treacle or mithridate every morning.

From The Works of Aristotle the Famous Philosopher Containing his Complete Masterpiece and Family Physician; his Experienced Midwife, his Book of Problems and his Remarks on Physiognomy by Aristotle

Their kinsman garlic bring, the poor man’s mithridate.

From Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama A Revised American Edition of the Reader's Handbook, Vol. 3 by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer

Household furniture is exported to Genoa, besides the usual articles: velvets, which were then the best in the world; satins, the best coral, mithridate, and treacle, are the principal or the peculiar imports.

From A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels - Volume 18 Historical Sketch of the Progress of Discovery, Navigation, and Commerce, from the Earliest Records to the Beginning of the Nineteenth Century, By William Stevenson by William Stevenson

Then I asked for a cataplasm, composed of radish-roots, mustard-seed, onions and garlic roasted, mithridate, salt, and soot from a chimney where wood only has been burnt.

From Old Saint Paul's A Tale of the Plague and the Fire by William Harrison Ainsworth

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