mithridatism

mith·ri·da·tism   (mĭth'rĭ-dā'tĭz'əm)    n.  Tolerance or immunity to a poison acquired by taking gradually larger doses of it. [After Mithridates VI, who is said to have acquired tolerance for poison.] mith'ri·dat'ic (-dāt'ĭk) adj.

Main Entry: mith·ri·da·tism
Pronunciation: "mith-r&-'dAt-"iz-&m
Function: noun
: tolerance to a poison acquired by takinggradually increased doses of it
Mitháraádaátes VI Euápaátor /"mith-r&-'dAt-Ez-'siks-'yü-p&-"tor/, (d 63 BC), king of Pontus. Mithradates the Greatruled from 120–63 BC. A great military leader, a brave warrior, and a cunning politician, he was one of the few serious threats to Roman domination in the ancient world. A revolt of his ownsoldiers led him to attempt to take his own life. According to legend, he was ever suspicious of treachery, so he had consumed doses of poison in increasingly greater amounts in order to build up atolerance. When he vainly sought to commit suicide, he found that he had become totally immune to poison. He finally resorted to ordering a follower to stab him to death.

mithridatism mith·ri·da·tism (mĭth'rĭ-dā'tĭz'əm)
n.
Tolerance or immunity to a poison acquired by taking gradually larger doses of it.

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mith'ri·dat'ic (-dāt'ĭk) adj.