panchreston

[ pan-kres-tuhn ]

noun

1. a proposed explanation intended to address a complex problem by trying to account for all possible contingencies but typically proving to be too broadly conceived and therefore oversimplified to be of any practical use.

Word History and Origins

Origin of panchreston¹

First recorded in 1625–35; from Latin panchrēstos “good for everything, universal” (restricted to medicines), from Greek pánchrēston, neuter of pánchrēstos “good for everything” (restricted to tools and medicines), equivalent to pan- + chrēs-, verbal stem of chrâsthai “to be useful” + -tos verbal adjective suffix; pan-