nostrum

[ nos-truhm ]

noun

1. a medicine sold with false or exaggerated claims and with no demonstrable value; quack medicine.
2. a pet scheme or remedy, especially for social or political ills; panacea:

   The party was pushing the nostrum of corporate tax reduction, as if that would undo decades of industrial job loss.

3. a medicine made by the person who recommends it.
4. a patent medicine.

nostrum

/ ˈnɒstrəm /

noun

1. a patent or quack medicine
2. a favourite remedy, as for political or social problems

Word History and Origins

Origin of nostrum¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin: literally, “our, ours” (neuter singular of noster ), with a noun such as remedium “remedy, cure” being understood; referring to the seller's calling the drug “our” drug

Word History and Origins

Origin of nostrum¹

C17: from Latin: our own (make), from noster our

Example Sentences

When asked for specifics about what she would do if elected, she often offers word salads and nostrums about bringing people together.

From Los Angeles Times

But it gave their adversaries the opening they needed to question the severity of the outbreak or the policy recommendations themselves, and to promote useless nostrums.

From Los Angeles Times

Marketers of economic nostrums such as cryptocurrency and gold investments flood the airwaves with come-ons, and they don’t win customers by proclaiming that sunny days lie ahead.

From Los Angeles Times

And despite the media’s repeated nostrum that only people with high school educations favored Trump, The New York Times reported that same weekend that 60% of college-educated Republicans also supported him.

From Salon

Any person, of any age and gender, would do much better to study the far-ranging ideas of Epicurus than the warmed-over nostrums Josh Hawley cribs from his readings of the Bible.

From Salon