MITHRIDATIZE

PRONUNCIATION: (MITH-ri-day-tyz)

MEANING: verb tr.: To develop immunity to a poison by gradually increasing the dose.

ETYMOLOGY: After Mithridates VI, king of Pontus (now in Turkey) 120-63 BCE, who is said to have acquired immunity to poison by ingesting gradually larger doses of it. Earliest documented use: 1866. The noun form is mithridatism.

NOTES: Mithridates VI’s father was poisoned. No wonder VI wanted to develop tolerance to poison. The story goes that after VI’s defeat by Pompey, he didn’t want to be captured alive. So he tried to end his life by taking poison. That didn’t work, so he had a servant stab him with a sword.
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MITHRIDASIZE, -TIME - the precise schedule of administering sub-toxic doses, stipulating size and frequency

MYTHRIDATIZE - to expunge all mention of gods and goddesses, and stories of creation and epic deeds and conflict, from folklore and libraries

MITCHRIDATIZE - what Democrats would like to do to the United States House of Representatives