sedative
Meaning of sedative: A sedative reduces central nervous system activity to calm anxiety, ease agitation, or promote sleep, with effects ranging from mild relaxation to deep sedation.
Definition of sedative
A sedative is a drug or substance that reduces activity in the central nervous system, producing calming effects that can range from mild relaxation to drowsiness or, at higher levels, a deeper reduction in alertness. Sedatives are used to relieve anxiety, calm agitation, or help a person fall asleep.
Several different classes of medication act as sedatives, including benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and certain other drugs developed specifically for sleep or anxiety, and some medications used mainly for other purposes, such as certain antihistamines, also produce sedation as a side effect.
Because sedatives act on the same general system regardless of drug class, combining more than one sedating substance, including alcohol, can produce an additive effect on alertness and breathing, which is a central consideration in how these medications are used and monitored.
Used in a sentence
A sedative was administered before the procedure to help the patient remain calm.
Good to know
The term sedative describes a drug's effect rather than a single chemical class, so medications from very different drug families, including benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and some antihistamines, can all act as sedatives.
Word origin
Where “sedative” comes from
Formed from Latin sedare, meaning to calm or settle, the causative form of sedere, meaning to sit.