antidote

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See also: Antidote

English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin antidotum, from Ancient Greek ἀντίδοτος (antídotos, antidote, remedy), from ἀντιδίδωμι (antidídōmi, I give in return, repay), from ἀντί (antí, against) + δίδωμι (dídōmi, I give). Compare French antidote.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˈæn.tɪ.doʊt/
  • (file)

Noun[edit]

antidote (plural antidotes)

  1. A remedy to counteract the effects of poison.
    Synonyms: mithridatic, alexipharmic, alexipharmac, alexipharmacum, alexiteric, alexitery, treacle, theriac
    She reached the hospital in time to receive the antidote for the snake venom.
    • c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii], page 149, column 2:
      Can'ſt thou not Miniſter to a minde diſeas'd, / Plucke from the Memory a rooted Sorrow, / Raze out the written troubles of the Braine, / And with ſome ſweet Obliuious Antidote / Cleanſe the ſtufft boſome, of that perillous ſtuffe / Which weighes vpon the heart?
    • 2014 December 23, Olivia Judson, “The hemiparasite season”, in The New York Times[1]:
      The druids [] believed that mistletoe could make barren animals fecund, and that it was an antidote to all poisons.
  2. (figurative) Something that counteracts or prevents something harmful.
    Synonym: remedy
    We need an antidote for this misinformation.

Usage notes[edit]

In reference to the specific poison the antidote is protective against, used with the prepositions against or for or used with an explanatory infinitive verb.

Hyponyms[edit]

Related terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

  • Malay: antidot

Translations[edit]

Verb[edit]

antidote (third-person singular simple present antidotes, present participle antidoting, simple past and past participle antidoted)

  1. (transitive) To counteract as an antidote.
    • 2007, Suzanne C. Lawton, Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman, Asperger syndrome: natural steps toward a better life, page 143:
      For his part, the patient must avoid some commonplace substances in order to avoid antidoting or stopping the action of the homeopathic remedy []

Translations[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Latin antidotum.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

antidote m (plural antidotes)

  1. antidote

Descendants[edit]

Further reading[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Portuguese[edit]

Verb[edit]

antidote

  1. inflection of antidotar:
    1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
    2. third-person singular imperative