aperient
|a-per-i-ent|
🇺🇸
/əˈpɪriənt/
🇬🇧
/əˈpɪəriənt/
cause opening (of the bowels)
Etymology
'aperient' originates from Latin, specifically the present participle 'aperiens' of the verb 'aperire', where 'aperire' meant 'to open'.
'aperient' passed into Late/Medieval Latin as 'aperiens' with the sense 'opening' (often used in medical contexts), and entered English usage via Neo-Latin/medical vocabulary as 'aperient'.
Initially it meant 'opening' (in a general sense), but over time it came to mean specifically 'causing opening of the bowels' or 'a laxative'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a mild laxative; a medicine or substance that causes evacuation of the bowels.
The doctor prescribed a gentle aperient to relieve the patient's constipation.
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Adjective 1
having the effect of a laxative; causing evacuation of the bowels.
The aperient properties of the herbal tea were noted by the physician.
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Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/15 08:12