quinia
Definition
Noun: quinia (pronounced /ˈkwɪniə/) is a variant spelling of quinine, a bitter crystalline alkaloid derived from the bark of cinchona trees. It is used primarily as an antimalarial drug and also as a tonic or to treat fever.
Usage Examples
- (A medication made from cinchona bark.)
- (A traditional medicinal substance.)
Advanced Usage
- is sometimes encountered in older medical texts or botanical contexts as a synonym for .
- The pharmacist prepared a solution of quinia for the patient. (A liquid form of the alkaloid.)
Variants and Related Words
- Quinine (n): the more common modern spelling of the same alkaloid.
- Quinine tablets are still used for malaria treatment. (The standard name for the drug.)
- Cinchona (n): the tree from whose bark quinia/quinine is extracted.
- Cinchona trees are native to South America. (The source of the alkaloid.)
Synonyms
- Alkaloid: a class of nitrogen-containing organic compounds, of which quinia is a member.
- Antimalarial: a substance used to prevent or treat malaria.
Related Idioms
- "Bitter as quinine": used to describe something extremely unpleasant or harsh in taste or experience.
- The medicine was as bitter as quinine. (Very unpleasant to swallow.)