sedative

[sed-uh-tiv]

adjective

1. tending to calm or soothe.

2. allaying irritability or excitement; assuaging pain; lowering functional activity.

noun

1. a sedative drug or agent.

sedative

/ ˈsɛdətɪv /

adjective

1. having a soothing or calming effect

2. of or relating to sedation

noun

1. med a sedative drug or agent

sedative

1. A drug having a calming or quieting effect, often given to reduce anxiety or to promote relaxation.

Other Word Forms

• unsedative adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sedative¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English (adjective), from Middle French sédatif, from Medieval Latin sēdātīvus; equivalent to sedate + -ive

Word History and Origins

Origin of sedative¹

C15: from Medieval Latin sēdātīvus, from Latin sēdātus assuaged; see _sedate ¹

Example Sentences

Monitored by a police drone, an exhausted Buddy finally laid down to rest as a vet administered some sedatives in the early hours of Sunday.

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All received the same five-drug regimen: a drug that prevents nausea and vomiting, a sedative, fentanyl, propofol and a muscle relaxant.

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"I refused to go in. They pulled me up the stairs and gave me a sedative to get me inside."

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Prosecutors alleged that the man, who has not been publicly named, injected his mostly elderly patients with painkillers or sedatives in an effort to ease his workload during shifts overnight.

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Cough syrups broadly fall into two types - sedatives that help the child rest, and bronchodilators that ease breathing - and doctors usually prescribe one or the other, not a mix.

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Related Words

• medication 
• narcotic 
• opiate 
• sleeping pill