antidote

The definition of antidote is a remedy given to someone who has just been exposed to a poison in order to help him get better.

(noun)

An example of an antidote is when the doctors give medicines to a person who has inhaled anthrax in order to combat the effects and save his life.

Antidote is defined as something that works against an unwanted condition to make it better.

(noun)

An example of an antidote is going on vacation somewhere warm when the winter blues start to kick in.

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See antidote in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

  1. a remedy to counteract a poison
  2. anything that works against an evil or unwanted condition

Origin: ME & OFr antidote < L antidotum < Gr antidoton < anti-, against + dotos, given < didonai, to give: see date

Related Forms:

See antidote in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. A remedy or other agent used to neutralize or counteract the effects of a poison.
  2. An agent that relieves or counteracts: jogging as an antidote to nervous tension.
transitive verb an·ti·dot·ed, an·ti·dot·ing, an·ti·dotes
To relieve or counteract with an antidote: “Hallie's family life is laced with the poison of self-hatred, a poison that Sam has antidoted with love and understanding“ (Christopher Swan).

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Latin antidotum

Origin: , from Greek antidoton

Origin: , from antididonai, antido-, to give as a remedy against

Origin: : anti-, anti-

Origin: + didonai, to give; see dō- in Indo-European roots

.

Related Forms:

  • anˌti·dotˈal (ănˌtĭ-dōtˈl) adjective
  • anˌti·dotˈal·ly adverb
Usage Note: Antidote may be followed by to, for, or against: an antidote to boredom; an antidote for snakebite; an antidote against inflation.

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