Standard Lemma guide

euphorbium

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /juːˈfɔː.bi.əm/
  • General-American: /juˈfɔɹ.bi.əm/

1

noun

Meaning 1

An acrid dull yellow or brown resin consisting of the concreted milky juice of several species of Euphorbia, formerly used as a purgative and emetic.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

an acrid brown gum resin now used mainly in veterinary medicine

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gum eurphorbium

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: gum

History

Etymology

From Latin euphorbium, from Ancient Greek εὐφόρβιον (euphórbion), from Εὔφορβος (Eúphorbos, “Euphorbus, physician to the Mauretanian king Juba II”) + -ιον (-ion, “related to”). The name is from εὔφορβος (eúphorbos, “well-fed”), from εὖ (eû, “well”) + φορβή (phorbḗ, “food, fodder”).