Definition

A type of medication that is used to treat migraine and cluster headaches by acting on serotonin receptors in the brain.

Example

The doctor prescribed a triptan to help relieve my migraine symptoms.

Conversation

I heard that a triptan can really help with migraines.

Yeah, I used one last week and it worked wonders for me.

That's good to know! I've been hesitant to try a triptan myself.

You should definitely give it a shot if you get bad headaches.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Triptan is derived from the word 'trip' (from Greek 'tripsis', meaning to rub or to press) and the suffix '-tan' (from 'tryptamine', a chemical compound). The word refers to a class of medications that are used to treat migraines by acting on serotonin receptors, thus 'pressing' or 'affecting' the pathways involved in pain.

Memory Tip

Think of 'rubbing' or 'pressing' ('trip') to remember that triptans are medications that affect pain pathways in migraines.

Visually Confused Words