Definition

A type of drug that is a white powder and is used to help people sleep or calm down.

Example

The doctor prescribed barbital to help the patient with insomnia.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of barbital?

Yeah, I think it's a type of sedative, right?

Exactly! It's used to help people sleep better.

I wonder how it compares to other sleep aids.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Barbital is derived from 'barbituric' (from 'barbituric acid', which is a compound) and the suffix '-al' (meaning pertaining to). The word refers to a substance that is related to barbituric acid, a type of sedative.

Memory Tip

Think of 'barbituric' as the base that relates to a specific type of sedative, and the '-al' indicates that it pertains to that compound.

Visually Confused Words