taenifuge

T1A1E1N1I1F4U1G2E1
/ˈtiːnɪfjuːd͡ʒ/

noun

A medicine to expel tapeworms from a body.

“Pumpkin seeds have been used as a taenifuge, and the component that drives the worms out may be bitter resin.”

OriginAncient Greek ταινία →
Scrabble 13
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Meanings

nountaenifuge (plural taenifuges)

plural taenifuges · alternative tænifuge

  1. A medicine to expel tapeworms from a body.

    Pumpkin seeds have been used as a taenifuge, and the component that drives the worms out may be bitter resin.

    1 more example

    Unless the head is driven out of the bowel it will continue to produce new segments[…]The stools passed after administration of the taenifuge should be carefully examined with a view to discover the head of the worm.

    1904, William H. Bain, A Text-book of Medical Practice for Practitioners and Students

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekταινία“band, ribbon”
  2. Englishtaenifuge

From the Ancient Greek ταινία (tainía, “band, ribbon”) + -fuge.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

taenifuge. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/taenifuge

MLA

“taenifuge.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/taenifuge. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “taenifuge,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/taenifuge.

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