Definition

A type of medication used to help people sleep or relax, which is not a barbiturate and has similar effects to them.

Example

The doctor prescribed glutethimide to help the patient with severe insomnia.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of glutethimide?

I think I read about it somewhere; isn't it a sedative?

Yeah, it's used for sleep issues, but I wonder how safe it is.

Good question! I've heard mixed reviews about its effects.

Root Explanation

Glutethimide is formed from "glut-" (from the Latin "glutire", meaning to swallow) and "-ethimide" (a suffix used in the names of certain drugs, derived from the chemical structure). The word refers to a drug that is taken or 'swallowed' for its effects.

Memory Tip

Think of 'swallowing' ('glut-') a medication that has a specific chemical structure ('-ethimide') — that's how glutethimide works as a drug.

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