Aromatherapy Glossary

How many times have you come across a description of a specific essential oil you are interested in only to find that the language used to describe its effects are just as foreign as its uses.
I’ve compiled a list I thought to share with you here on Angels and Aromatherapy from my other blog YellowstarEssentialswordpress.com that should help decipher any of those terms you should come across.
Enjoy!
Glossary of Aromatherapy Terms
ABORTIFACIENT: Induces childbirth or premature labor.
AEROPHAGY. An excess of air in the alimentary canal that is relieved through burping or flatulence.
ALTERATIVE: Gradually improves the nutritional state of the body.
ANALGESIC: Relieves or reduces pain.
ANAPHRODISIAC: Reduces sexual desire.
ANESTHETIC: Numbs the nerves and causes a loss of sensation.
ANTHELMINTIC: Expels or kills intestinal worms.
ANTIBACTERIAL: Kills bacteria.
ANTIDEPRESSANT: Reduces or prevents depression.
ANTIDIARRHOEIC: Relieves diarrhea.
ANTIDOTE: Counteracts a poison.
ANTIEMETIC: Counteracts nausea and stops vomiting.
ANTIFUNGAL: Kills fungal infections.
ANTIGALACTAGOGUE: Reduces the production of milk secretion of nursing mothers.
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY. Reduces inflammation.
ANTILITHIC: Prevents formation of stones or calculus.
ANTINEURALGIC: Stops nerve pain.
ANTIPHLOGISTIC: Counteracts, reduces, or prevents inflammation.
ANTIPRURITIC: Relieves or prevents itching.
ANTIPUTRID: Stops putrefaction.
ANTISCLEROTIC: Removes deposits from circulatory vessels.
ANTISCORBUTIC: Preventative for scurvy.
ANTISEPTIC: Inhibits the growth of and kills bacteria.
ANTISPASMODIC: Relieves or prevents spasms, cramps, and convulsions.
ANTISUDORIFIC: Reduces perspiration.
ANTITOXIC: Counteracts poisons.
ANTITUSSIVE: Relieves coughs.
ANTIVIRAL: Weakens or kills viruses.
APERIENT: A gentle purgative of the bowels.
APERITIF: Appitite stimulant.
APHRODISIAC: Arouses sexual desires.
BALSAMIC: Softens phlegm.
BRONCHODILATOR: Expands the spastic bronchial tube.
CALMATIVE: Mild sedative or tranquilizer.
CARDIAC: Stimulates or affects the heart.
CARDIOTONIC: Tones the heart muscle.
CARMINATIVE: Expels gas from the intestines.
CEPHALIC: Problems relating to the head.
CHOLAGOGUE: Increases the flow of bile.
CHOLERETIC: Stimulates the production of bile.
CICATRIZANT: Helps the formation of scar tissue; healing.
COAGULANT: Clots the blood.
CYTOPHYLACTIC: Protects the cells of the organism.
DECONGESTANT: Relieves congestion.
DEMULCENT: Soothes irritated tissue, particularly mucous membranes.
DEPURATIVE: Cleanses and purifies the blood and internal organs.
DETERSIVE: Detergent. Cleanses wounds and sores, and promotes the formation of scar tissue.
DIAPHORETIC: Causes perspiration.
DISINFECTANT: Kills infections and disease producing microorganisms.
DIURETIC: Increases the secretion and elimination of urine.
EMETIC: Induces vomiting.
EMMENAGOGUE: Promotes and regulates menstruation.
EMOLLIENT: Softens the skin, and soothes inflamed and irritated tissues.
ESTROGENIC: Similar to estrogen.
EUPHORIANT: Brings on an exaggerated sense of physical and emotional well-being.
EXPECTORANT: Promotes the discharge of mucous from the lungs and bronchial tubes.
FEBRIFUGE: Reduces or prevents fevers.
FIXATIVE: Holds the scent of a fragrance.
GALACTAGOGUE: Promotes or increases the secretion of milk in nursing mothers.
GERMICIDE: Kills germs.
HALLUCINOGEN: Induces hallucinations-an imagined or false sense of perception.
HEMOSTATIC: Stops hemorrhaging.
HEPATIC: That which acts on the liver.
HYPERTENSOR: Raises the blood pressure.
HYPNOTIC: Induces sleep.
HYPOTENSOR: Lowers the blood pressure.
INSECTICIDE: Kills insects.
LARVICIDE: Kills the larvae of insects.
LAXATIVE: Promotes the elimination from the bowels; a mild purgative.
NERVINE: Calming and soothing to the nervous system.
PARASITICIDE: Kills parasites.
PECTORAL: Affecting the respiratory system.
PURGATIVE: Promotes vigorous elimination from the bowels.
REGENERATOR: Promotes new growth or repair of structures or tissues.
REJUVENATOR: Assists in promoting a youthful appearance.
RELAXANT: Lessens or reduces tension, and produces relaxation.
RESOLVENT: Reduces swellings.
RESTORATIVE: Restores consciousness and/or normal physiological activity.
RUBEFACIENT: A local irritant that reddens the skin.
SEDATIVE: Calms anxiety and promotes drowsiness.
STIMULANT: Excites or quickens an activity in the body.
STOMACHIC: Strengthens, stimulates, and tones the stomach.
SUDORIFIC: Promotes or increases perspiration.
TONIC: Strengthens and revitalizes the body or specific organs.
TRANQUILIZER: Calms the nerves.
VASOCONSTRICTOR: Constricts the blood vessels.
VASODILATOR: Dilates the blood vessels.
VERMIFUGE: Expels intestinal worms.
VULNERARY: Assists healing of wounds and sores by external application