What do these words mean?

Sometimes I use big words to describe what herbs do, and that can be confusing to most people. Once you learn what these words mean, it is so much easier to understand what herbs can do for you in one word. I am going to list here, from A to Z, all the big words I use to explain what herbs have the ability to do.

Abortifacients: An agent that induces or causes premature expulsion of a fetus.

Acrid: Having a hot, biting taste or causing heat and irritation when applied to the skin.

Adjuvant: An herb added to a mixture to aid the effect of the principal ingredient.

Alterative: An agent which produces gradual beneficial change in the body, usually by improving nutrition, without having any marked specific effect and without causing sensible evacuation.

Analgesic: A drug which relieves or diminishes pain.

Anaphrodisiac: An agent which reduces sexual desire or potency.

Anesthetic: An agent that deadens sensation.

Anodyne: An agent that soothes or relieves pain.

Anthelmintic: An agent that destroys or expels intestinal worms; vermicide; vermifuge.

Antibiotic: An agent that destroys or arrests the growth of micro-organisms.

Anticoagulant: An agent that prevents clotting in a liquid, as in blood.

Antiemetic: An agent that counteracts nausea and relieves vomiting.

Antihydrotic: An agent which reduces or suppresses perspiration.

Antilithic: An agent which reduces or suppresses urinary calculi (Stones) and acts to dissolve those already present.

Antiperiodic: An agent which counteracts periodic or intermittent diseases (such as malaria).

Antiphlogistic: An agent which reduces inflammation.

Antipyretic: An agent which prevents or reduces fever.

Antiscorbutic: A source of vitamin C for curing or preventing scurvy.

Antiscrofulous: Counteracting scrofula.

Antiseptic: An agent for destroying or inhibiting pathogenic or putrefactive bacteria.

Antispasmodic: An agent that relieves or checks spasms or cramps.

Antitussive: An agent that relieves coughing.

Aperient: A mild stimulant for the bowels; a gentle purgative.

Aphrodisiac: An agent for arousing or increasing sexual desire or potency.

Appetizer: An agent that excites the appetite.

Aromatic: A substance having an agreeable odor and stimulating qualities.

Astringent: An agent that contracts organic tissue, reducing secretions or discharges.

Balsam: 1) A soothing or healing agent. 2) A resinous substance obtained from the exudations of various trees and used in medicinal preparations.

Bitter: Characterized by a bitter principle which acts on the mucous membranes of the mouth and stomach to increase appetite and promote digestion.

Calmative: An agent that has a mild sedative or tranquilizing effect.

Cardiac: An agent that stimulates or otherwise affects the heart.

Carminative: An agent for expelling gas from the intestines.

Cathartic: An agent that acts to empty the bowels; laxative.

Caustic: A corrosive substance capable of burning or eating away tissues.

Coagulant: An agent that induces clotting in a liquid, as in blood.

Counterirritant: An agent for producing irritation in one part of the body to counteract irritation or inflammation in another part.

Demulcent: A substance that soothes irritated tissue, particularly mucous membrane.

Deodorant: An herb that has the effect of destroying or masking odors.

Depressant: An agent which lessens nervous or functional activity; opposite of stimulant.

Depurative: An agent that cleanses and purifies the system, particularly the blood.

Detergent: An agent that cleanses wounds and sores of diseased or dead matter.

Diaphoretic: An agent that promotes perspiration; sudorific.

Digestive: An agent that promotes or aids digestion.

Disinfectant: An agent that cleanses infection by destroying or inhibiting the activity of disease-producing micro-organisms.

Diuretic: An agent that increases the secretion and expulsion of urine.

Emetic: An agent that causes vomiting.

Emmenagogue: An agent that promotes menstrual flow.

Emollient: An agent used externally to soften and soothe.

Errhine: An agent that promotes sneezing and nasal discharge.

Exanthematous: Relating to skin disease or eruptions.

Expectorant: An agent that promotes the discharge of mucus from the respiratory passages.

Febrifuge: An agent that reduces or eliminates fever.

Galactagogue: An agent that encourages or increases the secretion of milk.

Hallucinogen: An agent that induces hallucinations.

Hemostatic: An agent that stops bleeding.

Hepatic: A drug that acts on the liver.

Hydragogue: A purgative that produces abundant watery discharge.

Hypnotic: An agent that promotes or produces sleep.

Irritant: An agent that causes inflammation or abnormal sensitivity in living tissue.

Laxative: An agent promoting evacuation of the bowels; a mild purgative.

Mucilaginous: Characterized by a gummy or gelatinous consistency.

Narcotic: A drug which relieves pain and induces sleep when used in medicinal doses; in large doses narcotics produce convulsions, coma or death.

Nauseant: An agent that produces an inclination ro vomit.

Nephritic: A medicine applicable to diseases of the kidney.

Nervine: An agent that has a calming or soothing effect on the nerves; formerly, any agent that acts on the nervous system.

Oxytocic: An agent that stimulates contraction of the uterine muscle and so facilitates or speeds up childbirth.

Pectoral: A remedy for pulmonary or other chest diseases.

Purgative: An agent that produces a vigorous emptying of the bowels.

Refrigerant: An agent that lowers abnormal body heat.

Restorative: An agent that restores consciousness or normal physiological activity.

Rubefacient: A gentle local irritant that produces reddening of the skin.

Sedative: A soothing agent that reduces nervousness, distress or irritation.

Sialagogue: An agent that stimulates the excretion of saliva.

Specific: An agent which cures or alleviates a particular condition or disease.

Stimulant: An agent that excites or quickens the activity of physiological processes.

Stomachic: An agent that strengthens, stimulates or tones the stomach.

Styptic: An agent that contracts tissue; astringent; specifically, a hemostatic agent that stops bleeding by contracting the blood vessels.

Sudorific: An agent that promotes or increases perspiration.

Taeniacide: A substance that kills tapeworms.

Tonic: An agent that strengthens or invigorates organs or the entire organism.

Vasoconstrictor: An agent that narrows the blood vessels, thus raising blood pressure.

Vasodilator: An agent that widens the blood vessels, thus lowering blood pressure.

Vermicide: An agent that destroys intestinal worms.

Vermifuge: An agent that causes the expulsion of intestinal worms.

Vesicant: An agent that produces blisters.

Vulnerary: A healing application for wounds.