non-barbiturate
|non-bar-bi-tu-rate|
🇺🇸
/ˌnɑnˈbɑrbɪtreɪt/
🇬🇧
/nɒnˈbɑːbɪt(ə)rət/
not a barbiturate
Etymology
'non-barbiturate' is formed in modern English by adding the negative prefix 'non-' (meaning 'not') to 'barbiturate' (the chemical/drug class).
'barbiturate' comes from 'barbituric' (as in 'barbituric acid'), a term coined in the 19th century for derivatives of barbituric acid; English adopted 'barbiturate' for salts/derivatives and later for the class of sedative-hypnotic drugs. 'non-barbiturate' is a straightforward negative formation from that established term.
Originally 'barbiturate' referred to compounds related to barbituric acid; over time it came to denote the class of sedative-hypnotic drugs derived from those compounds. 'Non-barbiturate' therefore came to mean 'not of that class' and is used to contrast other types of sedatives or drugs.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a drug or compound that is not a barbiturate; especially a sedative or hypnotic agent that is chemically distinct from barbiturates.
The trial compared barbiturates and several non-barbiturates for safety and effectiveness.
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Antonyms
Adjective 1
not a barbiturate; not belonging to or derived from the chemical class of barbiturates (often used of sedative or hypnotic drugs).
Non-barbiturate sedatives are often used as alternatives to barbiturates.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/16 10:09