1. a universal antidote or remedy against poison, especially a complex medicinal preparation believed to protect against all poisons
Usage: historical; often capitalized when referring to the original preparation attributed to Mithridates VI
2. any protective measure or remedy against harm or danger
Usage: figurative; archaic

Examples

• Medieval physicians prescribed mithridate as a cure for nearly every ailment.
• The king demanded a mithridate to protect him from assassination by poison.
• Scholars debated whether mithridate was truly effective or merely a placebo.
• The apothecary's shop displayed jars of mithridate alongside other rare compounds.
• In modern usage, education serves as a mithridate against ignorance.
• The ancient recipe for mithridate contained dozens of exotic ingredients.