Adjective: purgative pur-gu-tiv
- Strongly laxative
"The doctor prescribed a purgative medication to relieve his constipation";
- cathartic, evacuant
- A purging medicine; stimulates evacuation of the bowels
"The doctor prescribed a mild purgative to relieve the patient's constipation";
- cathartic, physic [archaic], aperient
Derived forms: purgatives
See also: laxative
Type of: med [informal], medicament, medication, medicinal drug, medicine
Encyclopedia: Purgative