Errhine

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. A powder or preparation inhaled through the nose to provoke sneezing
2. A substance designed to be sniffed in order to trigger a sneeze reflex
3. An inhalant agent that causes sneezing when breathed in through the nasal passages

Etymology: Medicine has long borrowed Greek to describe the body's plumbing, and "errhine" is a case in point. It comes from Latin "errhīnum," itself taken from Ancient Greek "ἔρρινον" (érrhinon), built from "ἐν" (en, "in") and "ῥίς" (rhís, "nostril"). Together the pieces give a literal sense of something placed inside the nose. That literal sense is the whole point of the word. An errhine is a substance, traditionally a powder or liquid, meant to be snuffed or sniffed up the nostrils to provoke sneezing or to increase the flow of mucus. Ancient and early modern physicians used such remedies deliberately, so the term describes a treatment defined by where it went, not by what it was made of.

Synonyms: sternutatory