barbiturate
3 synonyms for barbiturate, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Any of a group of drugs derived from barbituric acid that slow down the central nervous system and are used as sedatives.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use barbiturate
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
barbiturate overdose
prescribe a barbiturate
barbiturate abuse
It is a medical and pharmacological term, and the clipping barb is informal.
Etymology
The word was borrowed from German Barbiturat, which is made up of barbituric and the ending -ate.
Full origin of barbiturate →Frequently asked questions
What is a barbiturate?
It is a drug derived from barbituric acid that slows brain and nerve activity and is used to calm or induce sleep.
How do you pronounce barbiturate?
In British English it is pronounced roughly bar-BIT-chuh-rit, with the stress on the second syllable.
Is a barbiturate the same as a benzodiazepine?
No. Both are sedative drugs, but they have different chemical structures.
