nonstimulant
|non-stim-u-lant|
🇺🇸
/nɑnˈstɪmjələnt/
🇬🇧
/nɒnˈstɪmjʊlənt/
not a stimulant / not stimulating
Etymology
'nonstimulant' originates from Modern English, specifically the prefix 'non-' combined with the word 'stimulant', where 'non-' meant 'not' and 'stimulant' meant 'something that stimulates'.
'stimulant' changed from French 'stimulant' and Late Latin 'stimulans', ultimately from Latin 'stimulare' (to goad or urge), and the English adjective/noun 'stimulant' later took the negative prefix 'non-' to form 'nonstimulant'.
Initially it meant simply 'not a stimulant' (the negative of 'stimulant'), and this core meaning has remained stable in modern usage, especially in medical contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a drug or agent that does not stimulate the central nervous system; a medication or substance classified as not being a stimulant.
Nonstimulants are often prescribed when stimulants are unsuitable or contraindicated.
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Adjective 1
not stimulating; not causing physiological or mental stimulation (often used to describe a drug or substance that does not stimulate the central nervous system).
This medication is nonstimulant and is less likely to cause insomnia.
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Last updated: 2025/09/22 19:06