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Definition of ketamine

ketamine

/ˈkɛt.ə.miːn/
ket · a · mine
Plural:ketamines
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ketamine Lexical Profile

ketamine Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A synthetic pharmaceutical compound used medically as a dissociative anesthetic, rapid-acting analgesic, and treatment for severe depression, also used illicitly as a recreational hallucinogen.

Example

"The emergency room physician administered a low dose of ketamine to manage the patient's acute pain during the procedure."

• Rhymes for ketamine

• Nearby Words

kerry
kerrybush
kestrel
ketamine
ketch
ketchup
ketchupy

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the 1960s from its chemical structure as a ketone and an amine, first synthesized by chemist Calvin L. Stevens in 1962 as a safer alternative to phencyclidine.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Ketamine. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 2, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/ketamine
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