English → Latin
“laxative” in Latin
relaxōto stretch out or widen again; unloose, loosen, open; slacken; abate; to slacken, ease, alleviate, mitigate; cheer up, elaxōto extend, expand; to open, make wide; to undo, releaseresolvōto release, loosen, unloose, unbind, disentangle, relax, dissolve; to enfeeble; to cancel, dispelmoveōto move, stir, set in motion; to disturb, shake, remove; to arouse, excite, promote, producecieōto set in motion; act; to move, stir, shake; to summon, callsoleōto be accustomed, used to, in the habit ofdūcōto lead, guide, conduct, lead away; to take; to draw, pullsubdūcōto draw from under or below; draw, lift or pull up, raise; to draw or haul up onto land, beach; to draw, take or lead aw
The English word laxative itself goes back to Latin laxātīvus.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
laxative adj.
That relaxes, laxans; laxandi vim habens.
Purgative, alvum solvens, resolvens, movens (☞ laxativus very late).
laxative s.
medicamentum catharticum: to give a laxative, cathartica dare; dejectionem alvi ductione moliri; purgatione alvum sollicitare (to purge by laxatives): a laxative should be employed, dejectio a medicamento petenda est: to act as a laxative, alvum movere, ciere, solvere, ducere, subducere; alvum purgare.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for laxative?
- The usual Latin words for “laxative” are relaxō, laxō, resolvō; also moveō, cieō, soleō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.