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barbiturate

[bahr-bich-er-it, -uh-reyt; bahr-bi-too r-it, -eyt, -tyoo r-]
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noun Pharmacology.
  1. any of a group of barbituric acid derivatives, used in medicine as sedatives and hypnotics.
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Origin of barbiturate

First recorded in 1925–30; barbitur(ic) + -ate2
Related formsnon·bar·bit·u·rate, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

medication, opiate, narcotic, sedative, dope, drug, hypnotic, analgesic, anodyne, depressant, downer, tranquillizer, barbiturate, pacifier, calmative, bromide, soporific, benzodiazepine, nightcap
British Dictionary definitions for barbiturate

barbiturate

noun
  1. a derivative of barbituric acid, such as phenobarbital, used in medicine as a sedative, hypnotic, or anticonvulsant
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for barbiturate

n.

1928 (morphine barbiturate is from 1918), from German, coined 1863 by chemist Adolf von Baeyer (1835-1917) from Barbitursäure "barbituric acid," itself coined by Baeyer, perhaps from woman's name Barbara, or perhaps from Latin barbata, in Medieval Latin usnea barbata, literally "bearded moss." Second element is because it was obtained from uric acid. With chemical ending -ate (3).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
barbiturate in Medicine

barbiturate

(bär-bĭch′ər-ĭt, -ə-rāt′, bär′bĭ-tur′ĭt, -āt′)
n.
  1. A salt or ester of barbituric acid.
  2. Any of a group of barbituric acid derivatives that act as central nervous system depressants and are used as sedatives or hypnotics.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
barbiturate in Science

barbiturate

[bär-bĭch′ər-ĭt]
  1. Any of a group of drugs that act as depressants of the central nervous system, are highly addictive, and are used primarily as sedatives and anticonvulsants. Phenobarbital and pentobarbital are examples of barbiturates.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.