— nepenthean , adj.
/ni pen"thee/ , n.
1. a drug or drink, or the plant yielding it, mentioned by ancient writers as having the power to bring forgetfulness of sorrow or trouble.
2. anything inducing a pleasurable sensation of forgetfulness, esp. of sorrow or trouble.
[ 1590-1600; nepenthes nepenthés herb for soothing, n. use of neut. of nepenthés sorrowless, equiv. to ne- not + pénth ( os ) sorrow + -es adj. suffix ]