Pronounced: FAY-bee-uhn, adj
Notes: I was incorrectly thinking of Dickens, but I was incorrect
Yesterday’s word
The word nepenthe is
- a potion used by the ancients to induce forgetfulness of pain or sorrow
- something capable of causing oblivion of grief or suffering
First usage
Our word came into English in the 1500s
Background / Comments
The term is an alteration of the Latin nepenthes, which comes from Greek nē (not) combined with penthos (grief; sorrow). Our word is popular with poets; the idea of a potion that allows one to forget pain or sorrow has a fascination.
Richard's Vocabulary Word-of-the-Day 