paregoric

American  

[par-i-gawr-ik, -gor-] / ˌpær ɪˈgɔr ɪk, -ˈgɒr- /

noun

Pharmacology.

1. a camphorated tincture of opium, containing benzoic acid, anise oil, etc., used chiefly to stop diarrhea in children.

2. any soothing medicine; anodyne.

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adjective

1. Archaic. assuaging pain; soothing.

paregoric British  

/ ˌpærəˈɡɒrɪk /

noun

1. a medicine containing opium, benzoic acid, camphor (English paregoric) or ammonia (Scottish paregoric), and anise oil, formerly widely used to relieve diarrhoea and coughing in children

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Etymology

Origin of paregoric

1675–85; < Late Latin parēgoricus < Greek parēgorikós soothing, equivalent to parḗgor ( os ) pertaining to consolatory speech (equivalent to par- par- + -ēgor-, combining form of agorā́ agora ¹ + -os adj. suffix) + -ikos -ic

Related Words

• medicinal
• therapeutic