Cleansing the bowels; promoting evacuations by stool; purgative. [1913 Webster]
Of or pertaining to the purgative principle of senna, as cathartic acid. [1913 Webster]

cathartic, n. [Gr. .].

A medicine that promotes alvine discharges; a purge; a purgative of moderate activity. [1913 Webster]

" The cathartics are more energetic and certain in action that the laxatives, which simply increase the tendency to alvine evacuation; and less powerful and irritaint that the drastic purges, which cause profuse, repeated, and watery evacuations."

top

OXFORD DICTIONARY

cathartic, adj. & n.
--adj.
1 effecting catharsis.
2 purgative.
--n. a cathartic drug.

Derivative

cathartically adv.

Etymology

LL catharticus f. Gk kathartikos (as CATHARSIS)

top

THESAURUS

cathartic

abstergent, alleviating, alleviative, analgesic, anesthetic, anodyne, aperient, assuasive, balmy, balsamic, benumbing, carminative, cleaner, cleaning, cleaning agent, cleaning solvent, cleanser, cleansing, cleansing cream, cold cream, cream, deadening, demulcent, dentifrice, depurant, depurative, detergent, diuretic, dulling, easing, emetic, emollient, enema, expurgatory, holystone, laxative, lenitive, lotion, lustral, mitigating, mitigative, mouthwash, nauseant, numbing, pain-killing, palliative, physic, pumice stone, purgative, purge, purging, purificatory, purifier, purifying, relieving, remedial, rinse, shampoo, soap, softening, solvent, soothing, subduing, synthetic detergent, tooth powder, toothpaste, wash

top

ROGET THESAURUS

cathartic

Cleanness

N cleanness, cleanliness, purity, cleaning, purification, defecation, purgation, lustration, detersion, abstersion, epuration, mundation, ablution, lavation, colature, disinfection, drainage, sewerage, lavatory, laundry, washhouse, washerwoman, laundress, dhobi, laundryman, washerman, scavenger, dustman, sweep, white wings brush, broom, besom, mop, rake, shovel, sieve, riddle, screen, filter, blotter, napkin, cloth, maukin, malkin, handkerchief, towel, sudary, doyley, doily, duster, sponge, mop, swab, cover, drugget, wash, lotion, detergent, cathartic, purgative, purifier, disinfectant, aperient, benzene, benzine benzol, benolin, bleaching powder, chloride of lime, dentifrice, deobstruent, laxative, clean, cleanly, pure, immaculate, spotless, stainless, taintless, trig, without a stain, unstained, unspotted, unsoiled, unsullied, untainted, uninfected, sweet, sweet as a nut, neat, spruce, tidy, trim, gimp, clean as a new penny, like a cat in pattens, cleaned, kempt, abstergent, cathartic, cleansing, purifying, neatly, clean as a whistle, cleanness, cleanliness, purity, cleaning, purification, defecation, purgation, lustration, detersion, abstersion, epuration, mundation, ablution, lavation, colature, disinfection, drainage, sewerage, lavatory, laundry, washhouse, washerwoman, laundress, dhobi, laundryman, washerman, scavenger, dustman, sweep, white wings brush, broom, besom, mop, rake, shovel, sieve, riddle, screen, filter, blotter, napkin, cloth, maukin, malkin, handkerchief, towel, sudary, doyley, doily, duster, sponge, mop, swab, cover, drugget, wash, lotion, detergent, cathartic, purgative, purifier, disinfectant, aperient, benzene, benzine benzol, benolin, bleaching powder, chloride of lime, dentifrice, deobstruent, laxative, clean, cleanly, pure, immaculate, spotless, stainless, taintless, trig, without a stain, unstained, unspotted, unsoiled, unsullied, untainted, uninfected, sweet, sweet as a nut, neat, spruce, tidy, trim, gimp, clean as a new penny, like a cat in pattens, cleaned, kempt, abstergent, cathartic, cleansing, purifying, neatly, clean as a whistle.

For further exploring for "cathartic" in Webster Dictionary Online