Potion Simply Means a Drink
A potion is a liquid with magical or medicinal properties. The Latin word means nothing more than a drink.
A potion is a drink credited with magical or medicinal power. The Latin *potio* means simply a drink, from *potare*, to drink — the same verb behind *potable*, meaning drinkable. English narrowed it to the magical, while its twin *poison* narrowed to the harmful, leaving the neutral original sense unrepresented.
- A magical drink. *A love potion.*
- A medicinal draught. *A sleeping potion.*
- Potable — drinkable. *Potable water.*
- Poison — the same word, narrowed differently. *A slow poison.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | potion | A bitter potion. |
| Plural | potions | Various potions. |
| Adjective | potable | Potable water. |
| Related | poison | Rat poison. |
| Related | potation | A hearty potation. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Potable water is safe to drink.From the same root.
- Potion and poison are the same word.Latin *potio*.
- A love potion appears in many stories.Including Tristan and Isolde.
Words from *potare*, to drink
- Potion — a drink with special power
- Poison — the same word, narrowed to the harmful
- Potable — fit to drink
- Potation — the act of drinking, now rare
- Symposium — from Greek, a drinking together
From Latin *potionem*, a drink, from *potare*, to drink. English took the same word twice, as potion and poison.
What does potable mean?
Safe to drink. Potable water is the standard term on signs and in engineering.
Why did one word become poison and the other potion?
Both narrowed from the neutral sense of a drink: one towards magical remedies, the other towards harmful substances.