cathartic
/kəˈθɑɹtɪk/ adjective, noun
Forms cathartics cathartick
- adjective Purgative; inducing mental or physical catharsis. “Shaving, my favorite activity, is very cathartic.”
- adjective That which releases emotional tension, especially after an overwhelming experience.
- noun (medicine) A laxative.
Synonyms
purgative physic aperient psychotherapeutic releasing evacuant
Etymology
Learned borrowing from New Latin catharticus, from Ancient Greek καθαρτικός (kathartikós).
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Cleansing the bowels; promoting evacuations by stool; purgative.
- adjective Of or pertaining to the purgative principle of senna, as cathartic acid.
- noun A medicine that promotes alvine discharges; a purge; a purgative of moderate activity.
Etymology [Gr. chaste.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “cathartic”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details