Definition

A man-made drug that helps relieve pain, often used instead of morphine and is less likely to cause addiction.

Example

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

Conversation

Have you ever heard of pentazocine?

Yeah, I think it's used for pain relief, right?

Exactly! It's supposed to be less addictive than morphine.

That sounds interesting; I wonder how effective it really is.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Pentazocine is formed from "penta-" (meaning five) and "azocine" (a compound name derived from the combination of "azo-" meaning nitrogen and "-cine" referring to a cyclic compound). The word describes a compound that contains five nitrogen atoms in its structure, specifically in the context of a cyclic compound.

Memory Tip

Think of 'penta-' meaning five, and remember that 'pentazocine' refers to a compound with five nitrogen atoms in its structure.

Visually Confused Words