Definition

A type of medication that is a derivative of barbiturates, used to help induce sleep or sedation, and was previously used for anesthesia during surgeries.

Example

The doctor prescribed hexobarbital to help the patient relax before the procedure.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of hexobarbital?

I think I read about it once; it's some kind of sedative, right?

Yeah, it used to be used in surgeries for anesthesia.

That’s interesting! I wonder why it fell out of use.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Hexobarbital is formed from "hex-" (meaning six) and "barbital" (derived from the chemical name for a barbiturate, which is a class of drugs). The word refers to a specific barbiturate compound that contains six carbon atoms in its structure.

Memory Tip

Think of 'six' ('hex-') as part of the name of this barbiturate, which helps you remember that hexobarbital is a type of drug with a specific chemical structure.

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