antidote

Etymology

From Latin antidotum, from Ancient Greek ἀντίδοτος (antídotos, “antidote, remedy”), from ἀντιδίδωμι (antidídōmi, “I give in return, repay”), from ἀντί (antí, “against”) + δίδωμι (dídōmi, “I give”). Compare French antidote.

noun

1. A remedy to counteract the effects of poison.
   She reached the hospital in time to receive the antidote for the snake venom.
   The druids […] believed that mistletoe could make barren animals fecund, and that it was an antidote to all poisons. 23 December 2014, Olivia Judson, “The hemiparasite season”, in The New York Times
2. (figurative) Something that counteracts or prevents something harmful.
   We need an antidote for this misinformation.

verb

1. (transitive) To counteract as an antidote.
   For his part, the patient must avoid some commonplace substances in order to avoid antidoting or stopping the action of the homeopathic remedy[…] 2007, Suzanne C. Lawton, Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman, Asperger syndrome: natural steps toward a better life, page 143