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analeptic

analeptic

1 9.9
A drug that makes the brain and body more active to wake someone or help breathing
  • noun
  • /ˌænəˈlɛptɪk/
  • Specialized
: analeptico
  • Some analeptics are used in emergency medicine to treat respiratory failure.

Examples

  • The doctor prescribed an analeptic to help the patient regain consciousness.

  • The doctor prescribed an analeptic to help with her depression.

  • Research into new analeptic drugs is ongoing in the pharmaceutical industry.

  • Have you ever tried an analeptic for fatigue?

  • The doctor prescribed an analeptic to help the patient regain consciousness after the overdose.

  • After her collapse, the paramedic administered an analeptic to stimulate her central nervous system.

  • The use of an analeptic can effectively counteract the effects of severe depression.

Antonyms

depressant
  • Specialized
4 5.5

A drug like alcohol that slows brain activity and makes you calmer

How Stimulating

analeptic
  • Specialized
1 9.9
stimulant
  • Specialized
28 4.9

Surface Forms

analeptic singular
analeptics plural

Morphology

analeptic = ana + lept + ic

Built from Greek combining forms (ana- + -lept-) plus the adjective-forming -ic; these are not productive or familiar to average learners, so the medical meaning is not derivable from known English base words.

Etymology

Analeptic comes from Greek parts ana- meaning 'up' and -leptic meaning 'to take', so a helpful image is something that 'takes someone up' again. So an analeptic is a medicine that wakes the brain and nerves or helps a person regain consciousness.