purgative

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: pur=ga=tive

CIDE DICTIONARY

purgative, a. [L. purgativus: cf. F. purgatif.].

 Having the power or quality of purging; cathartic.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

purgative, adj. & n.
--adj.
1 serving to purify.
2 strongly laxative.
--n.
1 a purgative thing.
2 a laxative.

Etymology

ME f. OF purgatif -ive or LL purgativus (as PURGE)

THESAURUS

purgative

abstergent, alleviating, alleviative, analgesic, anesthetic, anodyne, aperient, apologetic, ascetic, assuasive, atoning, balmy, balsamic, benumbing, carminative, cathartic, cleaner, cleaning, cleaning agent, cleaning solvent, cleanser, cleansing, cleansing cream, cold cream, compensational, compensatory, cream, deadening, demulcent, dentifrice, depurant, depurative, detergent, diuretic, dulling, easing, emetic, emollient, enema, expiatory, expurgatory, holystone, laxative, lenitive, lotion, lustral, lustrational, lustrative, mitigating, mitigative, mouthwash, nauseant, numbing, pain-killing, palliative, penitential, physic, piacular, propitiatory, pumice stone, purgatorial, purge, purging, purificatory, purifier, purifying, reclamatory, recompensing, redeeming, redemptive, redressing, relieving, remedial, reparative, reparatory, repentant, repenting, restitutional, restitutive, restitutory, righting, rinse, satisfactional, shampoo, soap, softening, solvent, soothing, squaring, subduing, synthetic detergent, tooth powder, toothpaste, wash

ROGET THESAURUS

purgative

Cleanness

N cleanness, cleanliness, purity, cleaning, purification, defecation, purgation, lustration, detersion, abstersion, epuration, mundation, ablution, lavation, colature, disinfection, drainage, sewerage, lavatory, laundry, washhouse, washerwoman, laundress, dhobi, laundryman, washerman, scavenger, dustman, sweep, white wings brush, broom, besom, mop, rake, shovel, sieve, riddle, screen, filter, blotter, napkin, cloth, maukin, malkin, handkerchief, towel, sudary, doyley, doily, duster, sponge, mop, swab, cover, drugget, wash, lotion, detergent, cathartic, purgative, purifier, disinfectant, aperient, benzene, benzine benzol, benolin, bleaching powder, chloride of lime, dentifrice, deobstruent, laxative, clean, cleanly, pure, immaculate, spotless, stainless, taintless, trig, without a stain, unstained, unspotted, unsoiled, unsullied, untainted, uninfected, sweet, sweet as a nut, neat, spruce, tidy, trim, gimp, clean as a new penny, like a cat in pattens, cleaned, kempt, abstergent, cathartic, cleansing, purifying, neatly, clean as a whistle.