carminative

From Latin carminare (“to card, hence to cleanse”), from carmen (“a card for freeing wool or flax from the coarser parts, and from extraneous matter”).

carminative (comparative more carminative, superlative most carminative)

1. relieving discomfort of gas in the digestive tract

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Dunglison to this entry?)

   • 1635, James Guillimeau [i.e., Jacques Guillemeau], “Of Gripings and Fretting in the Belly, which Trouble Little Children”, in The Nvrsing of Children. Wherein is Set Downe the Ordering and Government of Them from Their Birth. Together with the Meanes to Helpe and Free Them from All Such Diseases as may Happen unto Them. Written in French by Iames Guillimeau, the French Kings Chirurgion in Ordinary, London: Printed by Anne Griffin, for Ioyce Norton, and Richard Whitaker; published in Child-birth, or, The Happy Delivery of VVomen. VVherein is Set Downe the Government of Women. In the Time of Their Breeding Childe: Of Their Travaile, both Naturall and Contrary to Nature: And of Their Lying in. Together with the Diseases, which Happen to VVomen in Those Times, and the Meanes to Helpe Them. To which is Added, a Treatise of the Diseases of Infants, and Young Children: With the Cure of Them, and also of the Small Pox. With a Treatise for the Nursing of Children. Written in French by Iames Gvillimeav the French Kings Chirurgion, London: Printed by Anne Griffih, for Ioyce Norton, and Richard Whitaker, 1635, OCLC 222413128, page 52:

     If too much milke be the cauſe, then the Nurſe ſhall not give the childe ſucke ſo often, nor in ſuch plenty: If it proceed from wind, and that doe cauſe the childe to be thus troubled, it ſhall be diſcuſſed with Fomentations applied to the belly and navell; and with Carminative Cliſters, which ſhall bee given him, […]

carminative (plural carminatives)

1. (medicine) a drug or substance that induces the releasing of gas from the digestive tract
   • 1926, Hope Mirrlees, Lud-in-the-Mist (Ch. 9):

     But Master Nathaniel was indifferent to these manifestations of unpopularity. Let mental suffering be intense enough, and it becomes a sort of carminative.

• windtreibend

• IPA^(key): /kaʁ.mi.na.tiv/
• Homophone: carminatives

carminative

1. feminine singular of carminatif

carminative

1. Feminine plural of adjective carminativo.