stimulant

[ stim-yuh-luh nt ]

/ ˈstɪm yə lənt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR stimulant ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Physiology, Medicine/Medical. something that temporarily quickens some vital process or the functional activity of some organ or part: Adrenalin is a stimulant for the heart.Compare depressant(def 4).

any food or beverage that stimulates, especially coffee, tea, or, in its initial effect, alcoholic liquor.

a stimulus or incentive.

adjective

Physiology, Medicine/Medical. temporarily quickening some vital process or functional activity.

stimulating.

Words nearby stimulant

stilwell, stilyaga, stim, stime, stimson, stimulant, stimulate, stimulated emission, stimulating, stimulation, stimulative

Origin of stimulant

First recorded in 1720–30, stimulant is from the Latin word stimulant- (stem of stimulāns, present participle of stimulāre to goad). See stimulus, -ant

OTHER WORDS FROM stimulant

an·ti·stim·u·lant, adjective, nounnon·stim·u·lant, noun, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Examples from the Web for stimulant

Then there is the nicotine: a stimulant that for the addict also has the added effect of calming the nerves.
My (Electronic) Cigarette Addiction|Eli Lake|January 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST
What's interesting about the study's finding is that it dodges the trap that snares much of the research on stimulant medication.
Busting the Adderall Myth|Casey Schwartz|December 21, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Because cigarettes can be either a stimulant or a relaxant, the game has two modes.
Get Therapy Through Your iPhone|Josh Dzieza|September 11, 2010|DAILY BEAST
It is as false a stimulant as opium or alcohol, and leaves a corresponding mark.
The Translation of a Savage, Complete|Gilbert Parker

Be content to lay the manure on, and the rains will wash the stimulant down to the roots in due time.
The Culture of Vegetables and Flowers From Seeds and Roots, 16th Edition|Sutton and Sons
He uses colour as a stimulant to his customers, and dwells upon the hue of his fruit.
Venice|Dorothy Menpes
The sufferer actually winked one eye as the stimulant trickled down.
Pemrose Lorry, Camp Fire Girl|Isabel Katherine Hornibrook
As a consequence, they will not infrequently have had recourse to some stimulant.
Essays In Pastoral Medicine|Austin Malley

British Dictionary definitions for stimulant

stimulant

/ (ˈstɪmjʊlənt) /

noun

a drug or similar substance that increases physiological activity, esp of a particular organ

any stimulating agent or thing

adjective

increasing physiological activity; stimulating

Word Origin for stimulant

C18: from Latin stimulāns goading, from stimulāre to urge on; see stimulus

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

Medical definitions for stimulant

stimulant

[ stĭm′yə-lənt ]

n.

An agent that arouses organic activity, strengthens the action of the heart, increases vitality, and promotes a sense of well-being.

adj.

Serving as or being a stimulant.

Scientific definitions for stimulant

stimulant

[ stĭm′yə-lənt ]

An agent, especially a drug, that causes increased activity, especially of the nervous or cardiovascular systems. Caffeine is a commonly used stimulant.

stimulant

noun

adjective

Words related to stimulant

Words nearby stimulant

Origin of stimulant

OTHER WORDS FROM stimulant

Examples from the Web for stimulant

British Dictionary definitions for stimulant

noun

adjective

Word Origin for stimulant

Medical definitions for stimulant

n.

adj.

Scientific definitions for stimulant