Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In medicine: An active purgative, as jalap, which produces a great flux from the intestinal membrane, and consequently gives rise to very watery stools.
  • noun A remedy believed to be capable of drawing off serum effused into any part of the body, as a cathartic of the above class or a diuretic.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective (Med.) Causing a discharge of water; expelling serum effused into any part of the body, as in dropsy.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective medicine Causing a discharge of water; expelling serum effused into any part of the body, as in dropsy.
  • noun Any medicine of this kind, usually a cathartic or diuretic.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Latin hydragogus conveying off water, Ancient Greek to lead: compare French hydragogue.

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