bezoar

[ bee-zawr, -zohr ]

noun

1. a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, especially ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
2. Obsolete. a counterpoison or antidote.

bezoar

/ ˈbiːzɔː /

noun

1. a hard mass, such as a stone or hairball, in the stomach and intestines of animals, esp ruminants, and man: formerly thought to be an antidote to poisons

Word History and Origins

Origin of bezoar¹

First recorded in 1470–80; earlier bezear, from Medieval Latin bezahar, from Arabic bā(di)zahr, from Persian pād-zahr “antidote, counterpoison,” from pād- “protector” + zahr “poison” ( bane ( def ) )

Word History and Origins

Origin of bezoar¹

C15: from Old French bézoard , from Arabic bāzahr , from Persian bādzahr , from bād against + zahr poison

Example Sentences

A bezoar is a solid mass of indigestible material that accumulates in the digestive tract, which can cause a blockage, according to the MayoClinic.

From Fox News

In this case of this patient, who was identified as Ms. Zhang, her doctor first ordered an endoscopy to determine what exactly the bezoar was.

From Fox News

A woman in her 40s who was admitted to a hospital in East China with severe abdominal pains was found to have a 2-inch indigestible bezoar in the middle of her stomach.

From Fox News

Once her doctor, Zhu Zhen, determined that it was a bezoar, which had formed as a result of her diet consisting of persimmon fruits and crab meat, he prescribed ultrasound shock wave therapy to help break the mass apart, AsiaWire reported.

From Fox News

At the championship, they tackled such words as troika, jeremiad, syndrome, vitriol, spinet, bezoar and cynosure.

From Washington Times