excipient

[ ik-sip-ee-uhnt ]

noun

, Pharmacology.

1. a pharmacologically inert, adhesive substance, as honey, syrup, or gum arabic, used to bind the contents of a pill or tablet.

excipient

/ ɪkˈsɪpɪənt /

noun

1. a substance, such as sugar or gum, used to prepare a drug or drugs in a form suitable for administration

Word History and Origins

Origin of excipient¹

1720–30; < Latin excipient- (stem of excipiēns ), present participle of excipere to take out, except, take up, equivalent to ex- ex- ¹ + -cipi- (stem of combining form of capere to take) + -ent- -ent

Word History and Origins

Origin of excipient¹

C18: from Latin excipiēns excepting, from excipere to except

Example Sentences

A pharmaceutical preparation, in which glycerin is employed as the excipient.

From Project Gutenberg

The sugar of milk, about 10 per cent., or 1⁄2 grain per pill, no doubt is simply an excipient.

From Project Gutenberg

For an excipient in manipulating a pill mass which do you prefer—the magnesia carbonate or the pulverised glycerrhiza radix?

From Project Gutenberg

Excipient, ek-sip′i-ent, n. a substance mixed with a medicine to give it consistence, or used as a vehicle for its administration.

From Project Gutenberg

An excipient for medicinal agents when they are to be administered in the form of bolus.

From Project Gutenberg