nostrum

/ˈnɑstrəm/
noun
  1. A medicine or remedy that is not scientifically proven, often sold with exaggerated claims.
    • The market was full of vendors selling nostrums that promised to cure anything.
    • Doctors warn against buying nostrums from unlicensed websites.
    • He spent a fortune on a nostrum that claimed to grow hair overnight.
  2. A questionable or oversimplified solution to a complex problem.
    • Calling for lower taxes is a popular nostrum, but it rarely solves budget problems.
    • We need real reform, not another nostrum from the same old thinkers.
    • The politician's plan was just a nostrum that ignored the real issues.
What does "nostrum" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean