/nos"treuhm/ , n.
1. a medicine sold with false or exaggerated claims and with no demonstrable value; quack medicine.
2. a scheme, theory, device, etc., esp. one to remedy social or political ills; panacea.
3. a medicine made by the person who recommends it.
4. a patent medicine.
[ 1595-1605; nostrum our, ours (neut. sing. of noster ); referring to the seller's calling the drug "our" drug ]