A.Word.A.Day--posology

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The Magic of Words

Oct 26, 2010

This week's theme
Words made with combining forms

This week's words
ventriloquism
posology

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A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

posology

PRONUNCIATION:

(puh-SOL-uh-jee, po-)

MEANING:

noun: The study of drug dosages.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Greek poso- (how much) + -logy (study). Earliest recorded use: 1786.

NOTES:

Physician Peter Mere Latham once said, "Poisons and medicine are oftentimes the same substance given with different intents." And different dosage, he might have added. Determining the right amount -- neither too much nor too little -- is crucial as the effect of a medicine varies by age, weight, sex, climate, etc. of the recipient. That's where posology comes in.

USAGE:

"Dan Wagner's approach involves working with a team of students, professors, local healers, midwives, and shamans to identify, collect, and mark plant samples according to protocols established in the field of posology."
J. Michael Krivyanski; From Pharmacy to Integrative Medicine; World & I (Washington, DC); Feb 2002.

Explore "posology" in the Visual Thesaurus.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

This above all: to thine own self be true, / And it must follow, as the night the day, / Thou canst not then be false to any man. -William Shakespeare, poet and dramatist (1564-1616)

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