potion

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a drink believed to have medicinal, magical, or poisonous effects

   Jekyll gathered his courage and drank the potion.

2. 2
   verb

   to drug or poison someone with a potion, a rare or historical use

   The conspirator planned to potion the guard with a sleeping draught.

Simplified etymology

Potion entered English in the Middle English period and comes from Latin potio. The same Latin word gave Old French poison, “magic potion,” from which English poison developed.

From Middle English pocioun, through Old French pocion, from Latin potio, 'a drink or draught,' from potare, 'to drink.' Poison is a doublet from the same Latin noun, reflecting how a neutral drink or dose acquired a harmful sense in one branch.

Topics

External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary