tartar emetic

American

noun

Chemistry, Pharmacology.

a white, water-soluble, sweet and metallic-tasting, poisonous powder or granules, C 4 H 4 KO 7 Sb, used as a mordant for dyeing textiles and leather, and in medicine as an expectorant, for inducing vomiting, and for infections by schistosomes.

tartar emetic British

noun

another name for antimony potassium tartrate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of tartar emetic

First recorded in 1695–1705

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

tartar emetic

In those days, the only available cure was tartar emetic, a compound of antimony that was administered as 12–16 injections given once a week.

From Nature ● Nov. 7, 2017

Four years ago tartar emetic was hailed as the new and perfect control for citrus thrips in California.

From Time Magazine Archive

Within two years a more hardy variety of thrips appeared and tartar emetic ceased to work.

From Time Magazine Archive

In order to lure the flukes out of their customary lairs in the intestinal veins, they give patients a single injection of tartar emetic.

From Time Magazine Archive

Tartrated Antimony … tartar emetic … vomiting … irritating … emollient drinks … ladies drink … strong tea … bitter infusion … tannic acid.

From Assimilative Memory or, How to Attend and Never Forget by A. (Alphonse) Loisette

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023