theriac

American  

[theer-ee-ak] / ˈθɪər iˌæk /

Also theriaca

noun

1. molasses; treacle.

2. a paste formerly used as an antidote to poison, especially snake venom, made from 60 or 70 different drugs pulverized and mixed with honey.

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theriac British  

/ ˈθɪərɪæk /

noun

1. an ointment or potion of varying composition, used as an antidote to a poison

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Other Word Forms

• theriacal adjective

Etymology

Origin of theriac

before 1000; < Latin thēriaca antidote to poison < Greek thēriakḗ, feminine of thēriakós, equivalent to thērí ( on ) wild beast + -akos -ac; replacing Middle English tiriake, Old English tȳriaca < Medieval Latin, variant of thēriaca

Example Sentences

He travelled through Thrace and Macedonia on foot, met the imperial personages, and prepared for them a medicine, for which he seems to have been famous, and which is spoken of as the theriac.

From Fathers of Biology by McRae, Charles

The doctors found that the Morholt had thrust into him a poisoned barb, and as their potions and their theriac could never heal him they left him in God’s hands.

From The Romance of Tristan and Iseult by Belloc, Hilaire

Whenever any compound was for any reason spoiled in the drug store, the rule was, "Put that aside for the theriac."

From Psychotherapy by Walsh, James J. (James Joseph)

Jack of the Buttery, a name applied to p. 111Sedum acre, is said to be a corruption from bot, i.e. an internal parasite, and theriac, by which was meant a cure for that evil. 

From Springtime and Other Essays by Darwin, Francis, Sir

In the second period of the distemper, the same drinks were continued, adding thereto some theriac or Jesuit's bark, in order to lessen the frequency of the diarrhœtic evacuations.

From On the cattle plague: or, Contagious typhus in horned cattle. Its history, origin, description, and treatment by Bourguignon, Honor?

Related Words

• elixir
• magic bullet