strychnine

American  

[strik-nin, -neen, -nahyn] / ˈstrɪk nɪn, -nin, -naɪn /

Also strychnia

noun

1. Pharmacology. a colorless, crystalline poison, C 2 1 H 2 2 N 2 O 2 , obtained chiefly by extraction from the seeds of nux vomica, formerly used as a central nervous system stimulant.

2. an Indian tree, Strychnos nux-vomica, of the logania family, having small, yellowish-white flowers in clusters, berrylike fruit, and seeds that yield strychnine.

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strychnine British  

/ ˈstrɪkniːn /

noun

1. a white crystalline very poisonous alkaloid, obtained from the plant nux vomica: formerly used in small quantities as a stimulant of the central nervous system and the appetite. Formula: C 21 H 22 O 2 N 2

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strychnine Scientific  

/ strĭk′nīn′ /

1. An extremely poisonous, white crystalline compound derived from the seeds of the nux vomica tree. Strychnine is an alkaloid and was formerly used in medicine to stimulate the nervous system. It is currently used as a rat poison. Chemical formula: C ₂₁ H ₂₂ O ₂ N ₂ .

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Other Word Forms

• strychnic adjective

Etymology

Origin of strychnine

1810–20; < French, equivalent to New Latin Strychn ( os ) genus name (< Greek strýchnos a kind of nightshade) + French -ine -ine ²

Example Sentences

As Young described her Ph.D. work illuminating how the poison strychnine exerts its effects at receptors for the neurotransmitter glycine in the spinal cord, Greenamyre became entranced.

From Science Magazine

Then again, its author is Noël Coward, whose view of matrimony was like a cocktail of Champagne and strychnine.

From New York Times

Next, he took a swallow from a Mason jar containing a mixture of water and strychnine—a bitter poison made famous in Agatha Christie novels.

From National Geographic

This is a family tragedy laced with equal parts wit and strychnine.

From Washington Post

The Omsk region Ministry of Health announced Saturday that no signs of known toxins were found in Navalny’s system, including barbiturates, strychnine, synthetic poisons and oxybutyrates, used to treat conditions such as narcolepsy.

From Washington Post