nervine

[ nur-veen, -vahyn ]

adjective

1. of or relating to the nerves.
2. acting on or relieving disorders of the nerves; soothing the nerves.

noun

1. a nervine medicine.

nervine

/ ˈnɜːviːn /

adjective

1. having a soothing or calming effect upon the nerves

noun

1. obsolete.
   a nervine drug or agent

Word History and Origins

Origin of nervine¹

1655–65; < New Latin nervīnus, equivalent to Latin nerv ( us ) nerve + -īnus -ine ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of nervine¹

C17: from New Latin nervīnus, from Latin nervus nerve

Example Sentences

Rebuilder of the adrenals, borage is a deep-acting nervine suited to times of exhaustion and low spirits.

From Salon

The tincture designed to reduce anxiety that Marks has seen an increased interest in is made with nervine milky oats — the top of the oat plant after it has flowered — while their blend meant to ease grief is infused with hawthorn berry, which Marks hopes will help others as it once helped them.

From New York Times

I have soothed myself with nervine bitters.

From Literature

At a candidate forum at a Lower Ninth Ward church last week, the mayor, whose jitteriness prompted his siblings to call him Nervine, listened with tensely folded hands as Mr. Bagneris shouted that parts of the city had been “absolutely ignored.”

From New York Times

In the sense of nervous weakness, or, perhaps more correctly, nervine weakness, the word should probably be nervish, analogous to qualmish, squeamish, aguish, feverish, &c.

From Project Gutenberg