ipecac
noun
ip·e·cac
ˈi-pi-ˌkak 
variants
or less commonly ipecacuanha
ˌi-pi-ˌka-kyə-ˈwä-nə
-nyə
1
: the dried rhizome and roots of a tropical American plant (Carapichea ipecacuanha synonym Cephaelis ipecacuanha) of the madder family used especially as a source of emetine
also
: this plant
2
: an emetic and expectorant drug that contains emetine and is prepared from ipecac especially as a syrup for use in treating accidental poisoning
Examples of ipecac in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
What to avoid Do not induce vomiting or give syrup of ipecac.
—
Stacey Colino, Parents, 20 Sep. 2023
Turns out, her mother, Patty, was just a really good liar with a bottle of ipecac syrup.
—Barbara Vandenburgh, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2020
Running, biking, sit-ups, push-ups, leg lifts, aerobics, swimming, dancing, eating only once a day, laxatives, ipecac, a finger down the throat, getting drunk in hopes of vomiting, measuring and weighing my food and myself.
—Andrea Jarrell, Harper's BAZAAR, 4 Oct. 2017
Weight-loss regimens included consuming soap, chalk, pickles, digitalis, camphor tea, grapefruit (which was thought to contain fat-dissolving enzymes), potassium acetate (a diuretic), and ipecac (which induces vomiting).
—Jerome Groopman, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2017
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Stacey Colino, Parents, 20 Sep. 2023
Turns out, her mother, Patty, was just a really good liar with a bottle of ipecac syrup.
—Barbara Vandenburgh, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2020
Running, biking, sit-ups, push-ups, leg lifts, aerobics, swimming, dancing, eating only once a day, laxatives, ipecac, a finger down the throat, getting drunk in hopes of vomiting, measuring and weighing my food and myself.
—Andrea Jarrell, Harper's BAZAAR, 4 Oct. 2017
Weight-loss regimens included consuming soap, chalk, pickles, digitalis, camphor tea, grapefruit (which was thought to contain fat-dissolving enzymes), potassium acetate (a diuretic), and ipecac (which induces vomiting).
—Jerome Groopman, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2017
Dictionary Entries Near ipecac
Cite this Entry
“Ipecac.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ipecac. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ipecac
noun
ip·e·cac
ˈip-i-ˌkak
variants
or ipecacuanha
1
: either of two South American creeping plants
2
: the dried roots or rhizome of an ipecac that are the source of a medicinal syrup used to cause vomiting in the treatment of accidental poisoning
also
: the medicinal syrup
Medical Definition
ipecac
noun
ip·e·cac
ˈip-i-ˌkak
variants
also ipecacuanha
1
: the dried rhizome and roots of either of two tropical American plants (Cephaelis acuminata and C. ipecacuanha) of the madder family used especially as a source of emetine and cephaeline
also
: either of these plants
2
: an emetic and expectorant preparation of ipecac
especially
: ipecac syrup
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