nounWord forms: plural-struums or -strua (-strʊə) obsolete
1.
a solvent, esp one used in the preparation of a drug
2.
a solid formulation of a drug
Word origin
C17 (meaning: solvent), C14 (menstrual discharge): from Medieval Latin, from Latinmēnstruus monthly, from mēnsis month; from an alchemical comparison between a base metal being transmuted into goldand the supposed action of the menses
menstruum in American English
(ˈmɛnstruəm)
nounWord forms: pluralˈmenstruums or ˈmenstrua (ˈmɛnstruə)
a liquid that dissolves a solid; a solvent, esp. one used to extract a drug from a plant
Word origin
ML, orig. neut. of L menstruus (see menstruous): from an alchemistic notion of the power of the menses as a solvent