Sunday, January 02, 2011
nostrum noun [NOS-truhm] A medicine of secret composition and unproven or dubious effectiveness; a quack medicine.
Definitions for nostrum
- A medicine of secret composition and unproven or dubious effectiveness; a quack medicine.
- A usually questionable remedy or scheme; a cure-all.
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Citations for nostrum
James is put to work at country fairs, promoting a quack nostrum for pain relief.
His hopeful message attracted an audience eager to believe he had found the nostrum for all of society's ills.
Origin of nostrum
Nostrum comes from Latin nostrum (remedium), "our (remedy)," from nos, "we."