Rohypnol
Rohypnol (noun) means the brand name for flunitrazepam, a powerful sedative drug that has been misused to incapacitate victims for sexual assault (a so-called "date rape drug"). Example: “Bar staff are trained to spot drinks that may have been spiked with Rohypnol.”
How to use Rohypnol
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA strong sedative drug best known for its criminal misuse in drink-spiking cases.
Almost always used in a legal, medical, or crime-reporting context rather than everyday speech.
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Bar staff are trained to spot drinks that may have been spiked with _____.
Etymology
A trademark coined by the pharmaceutical company Roche, blending "Roche," "hypno-" (sleep), and the chemical suffix "-ol."