English Explanatory Dictionary

panacea

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A remedy believed to cure all disease and prolong life that was originally sought by alchemists; a cure-all.
  2. A solution to all problems.
  3. The plant allheal (Valeriana officinalis), believed to cure all ills.
name
  1. The goddess/personification of healing, remedies, cures and panaceas (medicines, salves, ointments and other curatives). She is a daughter of Asclepius and Epione.

Pronunciation

păn'-ə-sēʹ-ə /ˌpæn.əˈsiː.ə/ en-us-panacea.ogg păn"ə-sē'ə

Word forms

panacea panaceas panaceae panaceæ panacaea panacæa

Etymology

From Latin panacēa, from Ancient Greek πανάκεια (panákeia), from πανακής (panakḗs, “all-healing”), from πᾶν (pân, “all”) (equivalent to English pan-) + ἄκος (ákos, “cure”).

Synonyms

heal-all catholicon cure-all elixir wonder drug miracle cure theriac balm of Gilead chicken soup miracle magic bullet silver bullet allheal woundwort

Related words

nostrum

Derived words

panacean panaceist
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