Wordsmith.org: the magic of words


A.Word.A.Day

 About | Media | Search | Contact  


Home

Today's Word

Subscribe

Archives
Aug 9, 2017
This week’s theme
Words related to medicine

This week’s words
antitussive
aperient
emetic
diuretic
analgesic

Miracle of Marco Spagnolo by Giorgio Bonola
Miracle of Marco Spagnolo (detail)
Art: Giorgio Bonola (c. 1657-1700)
Bookmark and Share Facebook Twitter Digg MySpace Bookmark and Share
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

emetic

PRONUNCIATION:
(i-MET-ik)

MEANING:
adjective: Causing vomiting.
noun: Something that causes vomiting.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin emeticus, from Greek emetikos, from emetos (vomiting), from emein (to vomit). Earliest documented use: 1658.

USAGE:
“While Trump is our emetic, he’s the rest of the world’s smelling salts. Some key countries around the world are already coming to their senses about the threat of dangerous populists.”
John Feffer; Trump Provokes Global Backlash; HuffPost (Washington, DC); Feb 24, 2017.

See more usage examples of emetic in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
A writer is, after all, only half his book. The other half is the reader and from the reader the writer learns. -P.L. Travers, author, creator of the "Mary Poppins" series (9 Aug 1899-1996)

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith