evacuant
|e-vac-u-ant|
🇺🇸
/ɪˈvækjuənt/
🇬🇧
/ɪˈvækjʊənt/
cause to empty
Etymology
'evacuant' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'evacuare', where 'e-' (from 'ex-') meant 'out' and 'vacuus' meant 'empty'.
'evacuant' developed from the Medieval/Late Latin present participle 'evacuans' (from 'evacuare') and entered English in medical and technical contexts as 'evacuant'.
Initially it meant 'to empty out' (the action of emptying); over time it came to be used as a noun/adjective meaning 'an agent that causes emptying' or 'causing emptying'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a substance or agent that causes evacuation, especially of the bowels; a purgative or laxative.
The surgeon ordered an evacuant to cleanse the patient's intestines before the operation.
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Adjective 1
causing or promoting evacuation; tending to empty or discharge.
The herbal concoction had an evacuant effect, producing rapid bowel movement.
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Last updated: 2025/11/14 22:11