Aperient

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Aperient \A*pe"ri*ent\, a. [L. aperiens, p. pr. of aperire to
     uncover, open; ab + parire, parere, to bring forth, produce.
     Cf. {Cover}, {Overt}.] (Med.)
     Gently opening the bowels; laxative. -- n. An aperient
     medicine or food. --Arbuthnot.
     [1913 Webster]



From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  aperient
       adj : mildly laxative
       n : a purging medicine; stimulates evacuation of the bowels
           [syn: {purgative}, {cathartic}, {physic}]