Definition

A man-made drug that is used to relieve pain and can also help with sedation. It is often given in a specific form called hydrochloride.

Example

The doctor prescribed meperidine to help manage the patient's severe pain after surgery.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of meperidine?

Yeah, I think it's some kind of pain medication, right?

Exactly! I read that it's used as an analgesic in hospitals.

That makes sense, especially for patients who need quick relief.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Meperidine is a synthetic opioid analgesic, and its name is derived from the chemical structure rather than traditional Latin or Greek roots. The 'me-' prefix is a modification indicating a methyl group, 'peridine' comes from 'piperidine' (a six-membered ring containing nitrogen), which is a common structure in many alkaloids. Therefore, the word refers to a compound related to piperidine with a methyl modification.

Memory Tip

Think of 'me-' as a hint of a methyl group and 'peridine' as a reference to the piperidine structure, which helps you remember that meperidine is a modified compound related to piperidine.

Visually Confused Words