sedative
/ˈsɛdətɪv/ noun, adjective
Forms sedatives
- noun (pharmacology) An agent or drug that sedates, having a calming or soothing effect, or inducing sleep.
- adjective (pharmacology) Calming, soothing, inducing sleep, tranquilizing
Synonyms
sleeping pill soporific tranquilizer anxiolytic depressant downer ataractic ataraxic sedative drug tranquilizing tranquillizing tranquilising tranquillising
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English sedatif, from Anglo-Norman sedatif, from Medieval Latin sēdātīvus, which itself likely influenced the modern spelling. By surface analysis, sedate + -ive.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Tending to calm, moderate, or tranquilize; specifically (Med.), allaying irritability and irritation; assuaging pain.
- noun A remedy which allays irritability and irritation, and irritative activity or pain.
Etymology [Cf. F. sédatif.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “sedative”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details