calefacient

[ kal-uh-fey-shuhnt ]

noun

1. Medicine/Medical. a substance, as mustard, that produces a sensation of heat when applied to the body.

adjective

1. heating; warming.

calefacient

/ ˌkælɪˈfeɪʃənt; ˌkælɪˈfækʃən /

adjective

1. causing warmth

noun

1. obsolete.
   med an agent that warms, such as a mustard plaster

Derived Forms

• calefaction, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of calefacient¹

1655–65; < Latin calefacient- (stem of calefaciēns, present participle of calefacere to make warm), equivalent to cale- warm (stem of calēre to be warm) + -facient- -facient ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of calefacient¹

C17: from Latin calefaciēns, from calefacere to heat

Example Sentences

And it torments my woman-flesh with calefacient thrills fierce and goading and sweet.

From Project Gutenberg