antidote

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A medicine that stops the harmful effects of a poison.

   Doctors gave her the antidote just in time to counter the snake venom.

2. 2
   noun

   Something that counteracts or fixes a harmful or unpleasant situation.

   Laughter is often the best antidote to a stressful day.

From Latin antidotum, from Ancient Greek ἀντίδοτος (antídotos, “antidote, remedy”), from ἀντιδίδωμι (antidídōmi, “to give in return, repay”), from ἀντί (antí, “against”) + δίδωμι (dídōmi, “to give”). Compare French antidote.

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