nepenthe

Noun

nepenthes (uncountable)

1. A drug mentioned in Homer's Odyssey (c. 8th century B.C.E.) as bringing relief from anxiety or grief; hence, any drug or substance seen as bringing welcome forgetfulness or relief.
   • [A]ll ye (whom I ſee here preſente) doe fare as if ye were well whittled, and thoroughly moyſted with the Nectar wine of Homericall godds, not without a portion of that iuyce of that meruailous herbe Nepenthes, whiche hath force to put ſadneſſe and meloncholie from the herte: […]1549, Desiderius Erasmus, “Folie Speaketh”, in Thomas Chaloner, transl., The Praise of Folie. Moriæ Encomivm: A Booke Made in Latyne by that Great Clerke Erasmus Roterodame. Englisshed by Sir Thomas...
2. A Southeast Asian carnivorous plant of the genus Nepenthes; a monkey cup or tropical pitcher plant.
   • And how marvellous were the shapes of the nepenthes, how beautiful the colour, how delicate in form!1863, Spenser [Buckingham] St. John, “Introduction”, in Life in the Forests of the Far East; or Travels in Northern Borneo. … With Numerous Illustrations. In Two Volumes, 2nd rev. edition, volume I...

   Synonyms:

   monkey cup