aperient

[ uh-peer-ee-uhnt ]

adjective

1. having a mild purgative or laxative effect.

noun

1. a medicine or food that acts as a mild laxative.

aperient

/ əˈpɪərɪənt /

adjective

1. laxative

noun

1. a mild laxative

Word History and Origins

Origin of aperient¹

1620–30; < Latin aperient- (stem of aperiēns opening, present participle of aperīre to open), equivalent to aperi- (apparently ap- , variant of ab- ab- + -eri- ) + -ent- -ent; the base -eri-, perhaps with an earlier shape *wery- or *twery-, occurs only in this verb and operīre to close ( cover, operculum )

Word History and Origins

Origin of aperient¹

C17: from Latin aperīre to open

Example Sentences

Carbolic Acid … liquid … oil … sweet oil … castor oil … aperient … Epsom Salts … white … white of egg.

From Project Gutenberg

I'll send him a little quieting draught to be taken directly—pill at night, aperient in the morning.

From Project Gutenberg

Still I must think that vegetable food is, in my own case, less aperient than animal.

From Project Gutenberg

Vegetable diet is less aperient than a mixed diet, if we except Indian corn.

From Project Gutenberg

With me much less aperient; indeed, costiveness became a very serious and distressing accompaniment.

From Project Gutenberg