catapasm

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noun

A medicinal powder used by the ancients to sprinkle on ulcers, to absorb perspiration, etc.

OriginAncient Greek κατάπασμα →
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Meanings

nouncatapasm (plural catapasms)

plural catapasms

  1. obsoletemedicineA medicinal powder used by the ancients to sprinkle on ulcers, to absorb perspiration, etc.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekκατάπασμα“powder”
  2. Englishcatapasm

Borrowed from Ancient Greek κατάπασμα (katápasma, “powder”), from πάσσω (pássō, “sprinkle”).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

catapasm. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catapasm

MLA

“catapasm.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catapasm. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “catapasm,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catapasm.

Source: catapasm on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.