ENGLISH
REFERENCE

potion

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈpoʊʃən// UK //pˈəʊʃən// po·tion Archaic

n. a liquid that people believe has special or magical powers. You often hear about it in stories where someone drinks it to heal or change their appearance.

n. a liquid mixture with medicinal, magical, or poisonous properties. Often associated with mythology, folklore, or historical alchemy.


SIMPLE

The witch brewed a green potion in her large pot.

CONTEXTUAL

In the fairy tale, the prince drank a magic potion to turn back into a human.

COMPLEX

The old manuscript contained several recipes for herbal potions intended to cure insomnia, though modern science suggests their effectiveness was likely due to the placebo effect.

Origin

From Middle English pocioun, borrowed from Old French pocion, from Latin pōtiō (“a drinking”), pōtiōnis, from pōtāre (“to drink”). Doublet of poison.

Usage

Commonly paired with adjectives like 'magic', 'healing', or 'love'.

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