turpeth

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: tur=peth

CIDE DICTIONARY

turpeth, n. [NL. turpethum, fr. Per. tirbid a cathartic, turbad a purgative root. Cf. Turbith.].

•  The root of Ipom, a plant of Ceylon, Malabar, and Australia, formerly used in medicine as a purgative; -- sometimes called vegetable turpeth.  [1913 Webster]
•  A heavy yellow powder, Hg3O2SO4, which consists of a basic mercuric sulphate; -- called also turpeth mineral.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

turpeth, n. (in full turpeth root) the root of an E. Indian plant, Ipomoea turpethum, used as a cathartic.

Etymology

ME f. med.L turbit(h)um f. Arab. & Pers. turbid