laxative
Meaning of laxative: A laxative is a substance used to promote bowel movements or ease the passage of stool, available in several different forms and mechanisms.
Definition of laxative
A laxative is a substance intended to promote bowel movements or make stool easier to pass. Laxatives work through different mechanisms depending on their type, including drawing water into the intestine, softening stool, stimulating the muscles of the intestinal wall, or adding bulk to the stool.
Common categories include bulk-forming, osmotic, stimulant, and stool-softening laxatives, each acting on a different part of the process of forming and passing stool. Laxatives are available in various forms, including tablets, powders, liquids, and suppositories.
Because laxatives differ in how they work and how quickly they act, the choice of laxative depends on the underlying cause of constipation, how long it has been present, and other individual health factors.
Used in a sentence
A laxative was recommended to help manage the patient's constipation.
Good to know
Laxatives are grouped by mechanism, such as osmotic, stimulant, or bulk-forming, rather than being a single interchangeable category, and this distinction affects how quickly each type acts and what it is best suited for.
Word origin
Where “laxative” comes from
From Latin laxativus, meaning "loosening," from laxare, meaning "to loosen," and laxus, meaning "loose."