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diphenhydramine

American  
[dahy-fen-hahy-druh-meen] / ˌdaɪ fɛnˈhaɪ drəˌmin /

noun

Pharmacology.
  1. a white, crystalline, antihistaminic compound, C 17 H 21 NO, used orally, topically, and parenterally, especially for allergies.


Etymology

Origin of diphenhydramine

First recorded in 1945–50; diphen(yl) + hydr- 2 + amine

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Anticholinergics also include diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in over-the-counter products like Benadryl.

From The Wall Street Journal

And while sedating antihistamines like diphenhydramine might help you sleep at night, they don't treat the cough itself.

From BBC

At 4:40 p.m., a nurse administered an injection that contained olanzapine, an antipsychotic used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and diphenhydramine, an antihistamine for treating allergies and colds, according to the filing.

From Washington Post

About 40% of incidents involved common over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen and diphenhydramine.

From Seattle Times

The over-the-counter antihistamines I used to take, which contain diphenhydramine, “were never really systematically studied for their effects on sleep,” Dr. Krystal said.

From New York Times