noun
painkiller
PAYN-kih-luh
noun
1
A medicine used to relieve pain.
"She took a painkiller for her headache."
"The doctor prescribed a strong painkiller after the surgery."
How to Use Painkiller
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA drug, like paracetamol or ibuprofen, taken to reduce or stop pain.
Common pairings
take a painkiller
strong painkillers
over-the-counter painkillers
Word Forms
painkillers plural
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She took a _____ for her headache.
Etymology
A straightforward compound of pain and killer, describing exactly what it does.