noun
ketamine
KEHT-uh-mihn
noun
1
A synthetic drug used medically as an anaesthetic and painkiller, and sometimes taken illegally for its dissociative, hallucinogenic effects.
"Vets commonly use ketamine to sedate animals before surgery."
"Doctors are studying low-dose ketamine as a fast-acting treatment for severe depression."
How to Use Ketamine
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA powerful anaesthetic drug, also misused recreationally, that can cause a dreamlike, detached state.
Common pairings
ketamine infusion
ketamine abuse
low-dose ketamine
Word Forms
ketamines plural
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Etymology
A blend of "ketone" and "amine", reflecting its chemical structure; the drug was first developed in the mid-1960s.