cathartic

Noun · Adjective
Synonyms: purgativephysicaperientpsychotherapeuticreleasingevacuant

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

  1. a purging medicine; stimulates evacuation of the bowelsSynonyms: purgativephysicaperient

Adjective (3)

  1. emotionally purgingSynonyms: psychotherapeutic
  2. emotionally purging (of e.g. art)Synonyms: releasing
  3. strongly laxativeSynonyms: evacuantpurgative
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Cathartic \Ca*thar"tic\, Catharical \Ca*thar"ic*al\, a. [Gr. ?, fr. ? to cleanse, fr. ? pure; akin to F. chaste.]

1.(Med.) Cleansing the bowels; promoting evacuations by stool; purgative. [1913 Webster]

2.Of or pertaining to the purgative principle of senna, as cathartic acid. [1913 Webster]

Cathartic \Ca*thar"tic\, n. [Gr. ?.] (Med.) A medicine that promotes alvine discharges; a purge; a purgative of moderate activity. [1913 Webster]

Note: The cathartics are more energetic and certain in action that the laxatives, which simply increase the tendency to alvine evacuation; and less powerful and irritaint that the drastic purges, which cause profuse, repeated, and watery evacuations. -- Ca*thar"tic*al*ly, adv. -- Ca*thar"tic*al*ness, n. [1913 Webster]

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