fentanyl

[ fen-tuh-nil ]

noun

, Pharmacology.

1. a synthetic, short-acting narcotic analgesic and sedative, C 22 H 28 N 2 O, used pharmacologically in anesthesia and neuroleptanalgesia, and also as an illicit drug: Drug dealers are lacing heroin with fentanyl.

   Medics quickly administered fentanyl to the injured soldiers.

   Drug dealers are lacing heroin with fentanyl.

fentanyl

/ ˈfɛntəˌnaɪl /

noun

1. a narcotic drug used in medicine to relieve pain

Word History and Origins

Origin of fentanyl¹

First recorded in 1960–65; contraction and respelling of the chemical name N-(1-phenethyl-4-piperidyl)propionanilide

Example Sentences

Most of the public aren’t seeking fentanyl or its analogs, but people are tainting things like heroin and oxycodone pills with fentanyl or an analog.

From Nautilus

Bryan doesn’t have as bad a drug problem as other parts of Ohio, but it does have one—mostly meth, heroin, and fentanyl.

From MIT Technology Review

Synthetic opioids like fentanyl and carfentanyl accounted for the majority of overdoses, Houry says.

From Popular-Science

“When you lose their fentanyl, you generally lose all their other prescriptions,” he said, noting that few customers go to multiple pharmacies when they can get everything at one.

From Fortune

Reports detail that they found nearly 8 grams of fentanyl — a powerful heroin-like substance — in her bag.

From ProPublica

The story of a wayward anesthesia trainee who took a near fatal dose of fentanyl hit the news this week.

From The Daily Beast

Even if the dealer loads stamp bags with fentanyl and causes an overdose of 22 people in Pennsylvania?

From The Daily Beast