purgative

American  

[pur-guh-tiv] / ˈpɜr gə tɪv /

adjective

1. purging or cleansing, especially by causing evacuation of the bowels.

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noun

1. a purgative medicine or agent; cathartic.

purgative British  

/ ˈpɜːɡətɪv /

noun

1. a drug or agent for purging the bowels

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adjective

1. causing evacuation of the bowels; cathartic

Other Word Forms

• nonpurgative
  adjective
• unpurgative
  adjective
• nonpurgatively
  adverb
• purgatively
  adverb
• unpurgatively
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of purgative

1350–1400; < Late Latin pūrgātīvus ( see purgation, -ive); replacing Middle English purgatyf < Middle French < Late Latin, as above

Example Sentences

It is plain that the Active Life in Ruysbroeck’s system answers more or less to the Purgative Way, considered upon its affirmative and constructive side, as a building up of the heroic Christian character.

From Ruysbroeck by Underhill, Evelyn

And the Mechasuchil hath a Purgative quality; for in the Indies they make a purging portion of it.

From Chocolate: or, An Indian Drinke By the wise and Moderate use whereof, Health is preserved, Sicknesse Diverted, and Cured, especially the Plague of the Guts; vulgarly called The New Disease ; Fluxes, Consumptions, & Coughs of the Lungs, with sundry other desperate Diseases. By it also, Conception is Caused, the Birth Hastened and facilitated, Beauty Gain'd and continued. by Wadsworth, James

Purgative Medicines.—Salts, one ounce; Calomel, five grains; or Socotrine Aloes, two drachms for moderate sized dog.

From The Dog by Dinks

First came the Purgative Exercises: the object of these was to cleanse and search out the very recesses of the soul; as fire separates gold from alloy.

From By What Authority? by Benson, Robert Hugh

Whether the Purgative virtue of Catharticks be increased or lessened, or even totally destroy'd by a strong and continued Cold?

From Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society - Vol 1 - 1666 Giving some Accompt of the present Undertakings, Studies, and Labours of the Ingenious in many considerable parts of the World by Oldenburg, Henry