theriac
/ˈθɪriˌæk/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A universal antidote against all poisons, particularly medicines considered to derive from a recipe of the Roman physician Andromachus and representing an improvement on mithridate.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
Synonym of antidote, particularly (pseudoscience) those incorporating snakemeat to cure snakebite.
Archaic; Countable; Uncountable
adj
Synonym of theriacal: of or related to theriac.
Example Sentences
- "This excellent triacle Methridatum is nexte in qualitye and virtue to Theriaca... but onely Theriaca is a little hotter and stronger againste venyme of Snakes."
- "Theriaca Andromachi, the Venice or Mithridate treacle... Theriaca communis, common treacle, or molasses... Theriaca Londinensis, a cataplasm of cummin seed, bay-berries, germander, snake-root, cloves and honey."
- "From then on galene became the theriac par excellence, known simply as theriac, and there never was a more successful drug[…] Those who could afford it gulped down a bean-sized lump of theriac for practically everything from the Black Death to nothing at all, as a preventive."
- "Theriac was essentially homeopathic in its supposed function, being an improvement on mithridate by virtue of containing more poisons."
- "...ane half vnce of guid auld theriac..."
- "...the great number of Vipers, brought to the Grand Duke of Toscany for the composing of Theriac or Treacle..."
Etymology
From Medieval Latin theriacum, from Ancient Greek θηριακὸν (thēriakòn) and Late Latin theriaca, from Ancient Greek θηριακὴ (thēriakḕ, “of or related to poisonous reptiles”), from θηρίον (thēríon, “little beast”) + -κός (-kós), from θήρ (thḗr, “beast”) + -ίον (-íon, diminutive suffix). Doublet of theriaca.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈθɪriˌæk/
- British English: /ˈθɪərɪak/
Usage
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in Medicine.
Inflected Forms
theriacs (plural)
theriaca (alternative)
theriace (alternative)
theriack (alternative)
theriaque (alternative)
more theriac (comparative)
most theriac (superlative)