Mithridatic

adj, noun

adj, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Synonym of antidote: a treatment which functions like a mithridate. archaic
Adjective
  1. 1
    Of or related to mithridates, universally curative against all poisons. historical
  2. 2
    Of or pertaining to the dynasty begun by Mithridates I of Pontus or any of its kings named Mithridates, especially Mithridates VI of Pontus, also known as Mithridates the Great. historical, not-comparable

    "In the courſe of the firſt Mithridatic war, which laſted ſcarcely five years, the provinces of Achaia and of Aſia ſuffered deeper wounds than had been inflicted on them during the long and obſtinate ſtruggles among Alexander's ſucceſſors."

  3. 3
    Of or related to mithridatism, the gradual acquisition of immunity to poison through repeated exposure.

    "He turned the pages slowly, moving on to other metropolitan catastrophes, the next mithridatic outrage, the pages fluttered behind the front page but the headline remained the same, in the same place hovering across from her."

Example

More examples

"He turned the pages slowly, moving on to other metropolitan catastrophes, the next mithridatic outrage, the pages fluttered behind the front page but the headline remained the same, in the same place hovering across from her."

Etymology

Etymology 1

General application of Mithridatic, q.v.

Etymology 2

From Latin Mithridāticus, from Ancient Greek Μιθριδατικός (Mithridatikós), from Μιθριδάτης (Mithridátēs) + -ικός (-ikós), from Old Median *Miθra-dāta (literally “Mithra-given”).

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.