a. and sb. Also 8 -ent. [a. F. atténuant, ad. L. attenuāntem, pr. pple. of attenuāre to ATTENUATE: see -ANT.]
A. adj. Having the property of attenuating; spec. in Med. of thinning the humours or secretions.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 642 (R.). They put into the stomach those things that be attenuant.
1756. C. Lucas, Ess. Waters, III. 151. The attenuent diluting … qualities of the water.
1855. Doran, Hanover Q., II. i. 11. [Eringo] root was attenuant and deobstruent.
B. sb. A drug or agent having this property.
1725. Huxham, in Phil. Trans., XXXIII. 392. One seasonable vomit … acting as an Attenuant.
1830. Lindley, Nat. Syst. Bot., 67. The fruit of … Belleric Myrobalan is an astringent, tonic, and attenuant.
