adjuvant, a. and n.
(ˈædʒ(j)uːvənt)
[a. Fr. adjuvant (16th c. in Litt.), ad. L. adjuvant-em, pr. pple. of adjuvā-re to assist; f. ad to + juvā-re to help.]
A. adj. Assisting, aiding, helpful, auxiliary.
| a 1614 P. Lilie 2 Serm. (1619) 3, I doe not say they are principall causes, but instrumentall, adjuvant, secundary, inferiour causes. 1650 Greenhill On Ezek. (1874) Ded. 4 It is my unhappiness that I cannot be sufficiently adjuvant to such Princely beginnings. 1836 Todd Cycl. Anat. & Phys. I. 645/2 Used as adjuvant respiratory organs. 1874 Webster Rep. Patent Congress at Vienna iv. 355 An examination system which should be adjuvant and advisory to the applicant. |
B. n. [The adj. used absol.] A person or thing helping or aiding; a help, helper, or assistant. spec. in Med. A substance added to a prescription to assist the action of the principal ingredient or ‘base.’
| 1609 Yelverton in Archæol. XV. 51 (T.) I have only been a careful Adjuvant, and was sorry I could not be the efficient. 1654 T. Whitaker Bl. of Grape 2 (T.) These [plants] are adjuvants by reason of their cathartique quality. 1865 Huxley Ethnology in Crit. & Addr. 1873, vii. 138 The value of philology as an adjuvant to ethnology. 1875 Wood Therap. (1879) 83 Serpentaria, An elegant stimulant tonic, especially useful as an adjuvant to more powerful bitters. |