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Glite Dictionary
neuroleptic agent

neuroleptic agent

6.9
A medicine that calms people with severe mental illness such as psychosis
  • noun
  • /ˌnjʊəroʊˈlɛptɪk ˈeɪdʒənt/
  • Specialized
: agente neuroléptico
  • The doctor prescribed a neuroleptic agent to help control the patient's hallucinations.

Examples

  • Psychiatrists often rely on a neuroleptic agent for managing acute psychotic episodes.

  • Chronic use of a neuroleptic agent may have side effects like drowsiness or muscle stiffness.

  • The doctor prescribed a neuroleptic agent for her symptoms.

  • Many patients benefit from neuroleptic agents in managing their conditions.

  • Psychiatrists often rely on a neuroleptic agent for managing acute psychotic episodes.

  • The doctor prescribed a neuroleptic agent to help control the patient's hallucinations.

  • Chronic use of a neuroleptic agent may have side effects like drowsiness or muscle stiffness.

Synonyms

antipsychotic
vsneuroleptic agent
  • Specialized
11 5.5

A medicine that reduces false beliefs and seeing or hearing things that are not there

is more about lowering nervous tension and producing calm
neuroleptic
vsneuroleptic agent
  • Specialized
2 8.7

A medicine used to treat schizophrenia that reduces strong symptoms like seeing or hearing things that are not real

is a more formal phrase used in clinical contexts
antipsychotic drug
vsneuroleptic agent
  • Specialized
1 4.1

A medicine that calms serious mental problems like hearing or seeing things that are not there

places the main emphasis on lowering nervous tension and calm
neuroleptic drug
vsneuroleptic agent
  • Specialized
1 6.8

A medicine that calms serious mental illness like schizophrenia

is focused on reducing nervous tension as the main treatment effect
major tranquilizer
vsneuroleptic agent
  • Archaic
1 6.6

Strong medicine that calms people with serious mental illness like schizophrenia

is a general calming treatment term without implying extra strength
antipsychotic agent
vsneuroleptic agent
  • Specialized
1 5.6

A drug used to treat mental illness that calms people and reduces seeing or hearing things that are not there

instead highlights tension reduction and general calming as purpose

Surface Forms

neuroleptic agent singular
neuroleptic agents plural

Morphology

neuroleptic + agent

The phrase is fully compositional: 'neuroleptic' names a type of drug and 'agent' denotes a substance or thing that produces an effect, so 'neuroleptic agent' straightforwardly means a substance/drug that has neuroleptic (calming/antipsychotic) effects. This follows standard noun–noun composition and mirrors equivalent formations in other languages, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Neuroleptic agent comes from old words neuro (meaning 'nerve') and leptic (meaning 'to take hold'), giving the picture of a medicine that 'takes hold' of the nerves to calm them. That's why it means a drug that calms the nervous system and helps control psychotic symptoms.