ipecac
/ˈɪp.ɪ.kæk/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 2.15 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
1
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The dried rhizome and roots of either of two tropical American plants (Cephaelis acuminata and Cephaelis ipecacuanha) of the madder family used especially as a source of emetine.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
An emetic and expectorant drug that contains emetine and is prepared from ipecac especially as a syrup for use in treating accidental poisoning.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
The shrub that produces ipecac (Cephaelis ipecacuanha), native to Brazil and cultivated elsewhere.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "Mary Reynolds could list her physician-owner's entire materia medica (the common term for pharmacological supplies) for slaves in one breathː "Dr. Kilpatrick gave sick [slaves] ipecac and asafoetide and oil and turpentine and black fever pills."
Etymology
Contraction of ipecacuanha, from Portuguese ipecacuanha, from Old Tupi ypekakûãîa, from ypeka (“duck”) + akûãîa (“penis”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: ipecacuanha, -