Definition

A synthetic drug used mainly in veterinary medicine as an anesthetic, but also misused as a hallucinogen.

Example

Phencyclidine is sometimes referred to as PCP and is known for its hallucinogenic effects.

Conversation

Did you hear about that new documentary on phencyclidine?

Yeah, I've heard it's pretty eye-opening about its effects.

I didn't know it was used as an anesthetic in animals too.

Right? It's fascinating how something like phencyclidine can have such a dark side.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Phencyclidine is formed from "phenyl" (from Greek "phaino", meaning to show or appear) and "cyclidine" (from "cyclo-" meaning circular and "-idine" a suffix used in chemistry for nitrogen-containing compounds). The word refers to a chemical compound that has a phenyl group and a cyclic structure, used primarily as an anesthetic and hallucinogen.

Memory Tip

Think of 'phenyl' as something that 'shows' or 'appears' and 'cyclidine' as a circular structure — together, they describe a compound with a unique chemical structure.

Visually Confused Words