Definition

A medication used to prevent seizures, especially in people with epilepsy.

Example

The doctor prescribed phenytoin to help control her seizures.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of phenytoin?

Yeah, I think it's used for treating epilepsy.

Right! I read that it's an anticonvulsant drug.

That's interesting! I didn't know it had such a specific use.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Phenytoin is derived from "phenyl" (from the Greek "phaino", meaning to show or to appear) and "toin" (a suffix used in chemistry to denote a compound related to a specific structure). The word refers to a chemical compound that shows specific properties related to its structure.

Memory Tip

Think of 'phenyl' as something that 'shows' a specific chemical structure, and 'toin' as a suffix indicating a compound. This helps you remember that phenytoin is a compound with specific chemical properties.

Visually Confused Words