noun
tincture
TIHNGT-shuh
noun
1
A medicine made by dissolving a substance in alcohol.
"The herbalist recommended a tincture of valerian for sleep."
2
A slight trace or added touch of something, such as colour or quality.
"There was a tincture of sadness in her voice."
How to Use Tincture
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither an alcohol-based herbal medicine, or a small hint or trace of some quality.
Common pairings
tincture of iodine
a tincture of regret
Word Forms
tinctured past tense, tinctures plural, tinctures singular
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The herbalist recommended a _____ of valerian for sleep.
Etymology
From Latin tinctura, "act of dyeing", from tingere, "to dip or colour" — the same root that gives us "tint" and "tinge".