Etymology From Latin carminātus (“carded”), past participle of Latin carminō (“to card, produce by carding; hence to cleanse”), from carmen (“a card for freeing wool or flax from the coarser parts, and from extraneous matter”).
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Medicine, Sciences Relieving the discomfort of gas in the digestive tract, either by reducing its production (by the gut microbiota) or by inducing its expulsion (whether as belches [upper GI action] or as flatus [lower GI action]).
If too much milke be the cauſe, then the Nurſe ſhall not give the childe ſucke ſo often, nor in ſuch plenty: If it proceed from wind, and that doe cauſe the childe to be thus troubled, it ſhall be diſcuſſed with Fomentations applied to the belly and navell; and with Carminative Cliſters, which ſhall bee given him, […]1635, James Guillimeau [i.e., Jacques Guillemeau], “Of Gripings and Fretting in the Belly, which Trouble Little Children”, in The Nvrsing of Children […] , London: Printed by Anne Griffin […] ; published in Child-birth, or, The Happy Delivery of VVomen […] , London: Printed by Anne Griffih […] , 1635, →OCLC, page 52:
They used to give me cinnamon when I had a cold—quite useless, but not disagreeable. […] On the label was a list of its virtues, and among other things it was described as being in the highest degree carminative. I adored the word.1921, Aldous Huxley, chapter 20, in Crome Yellow, London: Chatto & Windus, page 220:
Etymology From Latin carminātus (“carded”), past participle of Latin carminō (“to card, produce by carding; hence to cleanse”), from carmen (“a card for freeing wool or flax from the coarser parts, and from extraneous matter”).
1
Medicine, Sciences A drug or substance that relieves the discomfort of gas in the digestive tract, either by reducing its production (by the gut microbiota) or by inducing its expulsion (whether as belches [upper GI action] or as flatus [lower GI action]).
“A mental carminative,” said Mr. Scogan reflectively. “That's what you need.”1921, Aldous Huxley, chapter 20, in Crome Yellow, London: Chatto & Windus, page 226:
But Master Nathaniel was indifferent to these manifestations of unpopularity. Let mental suffering be intense enough, and it becomes a sort of carminative.1926, Hope Mirrlees, chapter 9, in Lud-in-the-Mist: