Contraindicate

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To indicate that a particular drug, treatment or procedure should not be used because it could be harmful under certain circumstances
2. To show that a medication or therapy is unsafe for a patient with a given illness, condition or combination of factors
3. To render a remedy inadvisable, signalling that it may cause injury or worsen a health problem in specific situations

Etymology: "Contraindicate" is a plain modern compound: the prefix "contra-", meaning "against" or "opposite", joined to "indicate", which comes from Latin "indicare" ("to point out, show, disclose"). Together they describe a remedy or procedure that the signs point against, so a drug or treatment is said to be contraindicated when it would be harmful in a particular situation. The prefix has its own Latin lineage. Its ancestor is "contra," a preposition meaning "against," which English took directly from Latin and which has produced many other words such as "contrary" and "contradict." Because "contraindicate" is built from two English-usable parts, its meaning can be read straight off the pieces: a sign that points against a course of action.

Synonyms: counterindicate

Antonyms: recommend