Sternutative

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to or causing sneezing; serving as an agent that induces the reflex action involving a forceful expulsion of air through the nose and mouth
2. Pertaining to substances or conditions that provoke the act of sneezing; characterized by their ability to trigger this involuntary respiratory reflex
3. Connected with producing or promoting the sneeze response; describing elements that elicit the sudden, forceful release of air from the nasal passages and lungs

Etymology: "Sternutative" comes from Latin "sternuere," meaning "to sneeze." Its close relative "sternutare," a frequentative form that suggests repeated or vigorous action, gave English the verb "sternutate," and both belong to a learned vocabulary that English speakers borrowed from Latin rather than inheriting from Old English. Plain English uses "sneeze," which descends from Old English "fnēosan," so the Latin words sit beside a native word for the same act. The ending "-ative" comes from Latin "-ativus," which formed adjectives meaning "tending to" or "having the nature of" an action. Attaching it to the stem "sternut-" yields an adjective for something that tends to make a person sneeze. Medical and scientific writers have long favoured this kind of Latinate coinage, and "sternutative" is typically used for substances, such as snuff or pepper, that provoke sneezing.

Synonyms: sneezing, sternutatory