OxyContin

[ahk-see-kahn-tn, ahk-see-kahn-tn]

Pharmacology, Trademark.

1. a brand of oxycodone.

OxyContin

/ ˌɒksɪˈkɒntɪn /

noun

1. an opiate drug, oxycodone hydrochloride, used as a painkiller and, illegally, as an alternative to heroin

Word History and Origins

Origin of OxyContin¹

First recorded in 1990–95; oxy- ² ( def. ) + contin(uous) ( def. ), perhaps after the controlled-release nature of the drug

Example Sentences

He shares that he’s always liked American things, including “The Simpsons,” Captain Crunch, and, oh yeah, OxyContin.

From Salon

President Sheinbaum has also recently emphasised the demand side of the crisis, saying the US fentanyl crisis began with the legal but "irresponsible approval" of painkillers, such as OxyContin, starting in the late 1990s.

From BBC

Oxycontin, often an entryway into harder drugs like heroin, has been blamed for supercharging the deadly opioid crisis in America, and generated billions of dollars for the Sackler family.

From BBC

Purdue became a household name in the US as the maker and promoter of OxyContin - a prescription painkiller it promoted as safe, despite being aware it was both highly addictive and widely abused.

From BBC

Prosecutors said it gave Purdue Pharma advice on how to "turbocharge" sales of OxyContin, a brand name for the painkiller oxycodone hydrochloride.

From BBC