/ik sip"ee euhnt/ , n. Pharm.
a pharmacologically inert, adhesive substance, as honey, syrup, or gum arabic, used to bind the contents of a pill or tablet.
[ 1720-30; excipient- (s. of excipiens ), prp. of excipere to take out, except, take up, equiv. to ex- EX- 1 + -cipi- (s. of comb. form of capere to take) + -ent- -ENT ]