nepenthe

American  

[ni-pen-thee] / nɪˈpɛn θi /

noun

1. a drug or drink, or the plant yielding it, mentioned by ancient writers as having the power to bring forgetfulness of sorrow or trouble.

2. anything inducing a pleasurable sensation of forgetfulness, especially of sorrow or trouble.

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nepenthe British  

/ nɪˈpɛnθɪ /

noun

1. a drug, or the plant providing it, that ancient writers referred to as a means of forgetting grief or trouble

2. anything that produces sleep, forgetfulness, or pleasurable dreaminess

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Other Word Forms

• nepenthean adjective

Etymology

Origin of nepenthe

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin nēpenthes, from Greek nēpenthés “herb for soothing,” noun use of neuter of nēpenthḗs “banishing pain,” equivalent to nē- “un-” (negative prefix) + pénth(os) “grief, pain, sorrow” + -ēs adjective suffix

Example Sentences

“We are lucky enough to have business year round, but we definitely have been struggling a bit the last three years,” said Zehya Hay, a supervisor at Nepenthe, a well-known restaurant and bar in Big Sur.

From Los Angeles Times

We took a trip up the coast to Big Sur, passing the elephant seals and San Simeon, staying at the Madonna Inn and driving on to the restaurant Nepenthe, where we ate a fancy dinner and camped across the road.

From Los Angeles Times

And Nepenthe and the Henry Miller Memorial Library are just down the road.

From Los Angeles Times

Normally more than 1,000 visitors a day are taking in the view and having a meal at the popular roadside destination Nepenthe, according to its general manager, Kirk Gafill.

From Los Angeles Times

And in general, this chapter has some fascinating looks at droid culture, including a trip to a bar called the Resistor, where the robots sip on a refreshing lubricant named Nepenthé.

From New York Times

Related Words

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• dope
• hard drug
• heroin
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• opiate
• opium
• painkiller
• sedative
• tranquilizer