† mundifiern.
Obsolete.
A thing which cleanses, a cleansing medicament; a person who brings about cleansing.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > [noun] > one who or that which cleans
fowerc1440
mundifierc1475
cleanser1570
scavenger1596
fayer1611
cleanera1792
mundatory1860
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines for specific purpose > cleansing or expelling medicines > [noun]
mundificativea1400
mundifierc1475
mundification1580
mundicative1632
evacuative1656
relaxer1671
expeller1683
evacuatory1707
evacuator1718
rhyptic1721
abluent1726
evacuant1727
expellent1823
mundificant1842
eliminant1852
depletant1880
wash-out1955
c1475 ( Surg. Treat. in MS Wellcome 564 f. 70v (MED) Þou myȝt putte to sich maner senewe alle maner medicyns þat ben mundifiers.
1603 T. Lodge Treat. Plague xii. sig. I3v Make an ointment thereof, for it is a mundifier.
1630 J. Taylor Praise Cleane Linnen Ded., in Wks. ii. 165 Hee is a mender and you are a mundifier... Your Art is to keepe our bodies sweet and cleane.
1695 J. Edwards Disc. conc. Old & New-Test. III. iv. 192 Smegmaticks, Mundifiers, Cleansers, Adorners, are useful.
1717 E. Ward Coll. Hist. & State Poems I. 29 The young unhappy 'Squire Was waiting for his Mundifier, To pop into his Hands a Dose If [read Of] Scourers to..cleanse..This bridl'd Rudder of Affection.
1727–41 E. Chambers Cycl. Mundificatives, or Mundifyers, in medicine, denote cleansers, purifyers, or detergents.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2003; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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n.c1475