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hallucinogen

hallucinogen

15 8.1
A drug that makes people see, hear, or feel things that are not real
  • noun
  • /həˈluːsɪnədʒən/
  • NSFW
translation icon : alucinógeno
  • Research shows that hallucinogens may have therapeutic benefits in treating mental health disorders.
  • hallucinogen use
  • hallucinogens, LSD
  • Ecstasy, hallucinogens

And they said, what is your opinion on hallucinogens?

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Examples

  • However, hallucinogens can reduce attentional focus and concentration in complex motor tasks.

    Academic text (1991)
  • This is the most powerful hallucinogen the world's ever seen.

  • Seven percent of these students admitted to using hallucinogens; 3% used cocaine, and 1% used heroin.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Some people who damage their brains with drugs, especially huffing or hallucinogens, can end up seeing things regularly.

    Blog text (28)
  • MDMA is a stimulant and hallucinogen commonly used recreationally in dance clubs playing Acid House music (Elk, 1996).

    Academic text (2002)
  • Many cultures have used hallucinogens in traditional rituals to explore consciousness.

  • The effects of hallucinogens can include vibrant visual distortions and altered states of awareness.

Synonyms

mind-altering drug
vshallucinogen
  • NSFW
3 4.8

A drug that changes how a person thinks, feels, or sees things

focuses more specifically on causing hallucinations and deep perception or cognitive shifts
psychedelic drug
vshallucinogen
  • NSFW
3 7.2

A drug that makes you see or hear things that are not real and changes how you think and feel

is the general term for causing hallucinations or major mental changes
psychoactive drug
vshallucinogen
  • Specialized
2 4.4

Something that changes how the mind works and so changes mood, behaviour and what you notice

is narrower, referring to agents that cause hallucinations or strong perceptual shifts
hallucinogenic drug
vshallucinogen
  • NSFW
1 6.1

A substance that makes you see or hear things that are not real

covers the same effects but stresses broad mood and cognitive alteration too
psychedelic
vshallucinogen
  • NSFW
1 7.9

A drug that makes people see or feel things that are not real

is defined as causing hallucinations or large changes in perception and cognition
consciousness-altering drug
vshallucinogen
  • NSFW
1 7.7

A drug that changes how you feel, think, or see things

is narrower by highlighting substances that specifically cause hallucinations or major cognitive change
psychoactive substance
vshallucinogen
  • Specialized
1 6.0

A drug that changes how you think, feel or act

is more specific about causing hallucinations or major perceptual and cognitive alteration
psychotropic agent
vshallucinogen
  • Specialized
1 7.8

A chemical that changes a person's mood or thoughts

is more specific by naming substances that cause hallucinations or deep perception change
psychotomimetic
vshallucinogen
  • Specialized
9.9

A drug that makes a person see or hear things that are not there and think strangely

is broader, naming any substance that causes hallucinations or major perception changes

How Hallucinogenic

psychedelic
  • NSFW
1 7.9
hallucinogen
  • NSFW
15 8.1
psychoactive substance
  • Specialized
1 6.0

Surface Forms

hallucinogen singular
hallucinogens plural

Morphology

hallucinogen = hallucination + hallucinate (transparent) = hallucin + ogen

Formed from the recognizable base 'hallucination'/'hallucinate' with the productive suffix '-ogen' meaning 'that which produces'; learners who know 'hallucination' can infer the meaning.

Etymology

The word hallucinogen starts with hallucin-, from a Latin word meaning 'to wander in the mind' or 'to dream', and ends with -gen, a part that means 'to produce' and is the same root as generate. So a hallucinogen is something that 'produces' hallucinations — it makes the mind wander or see things that are not really there.