PAINKILLER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does painkiller mean? 

• PAINKILLER (noun)
  The noun PAINKILLER has 1 sense:

1. a medicine used to relieve pain

  Familiarity information: PAINKILLER used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PAINKILLER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A medicine used to relieve pain

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

analgesic; anodyne; pain pill; painkiller

Hypernyms ("painkiller" is a kind of...):

medicament; medication; medicinal drug; medicine ((medicine) something that treats or prevents or alleviates the symptoms of disease)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "painkiller"):

acetaminophen; Anacin III; Datril; Panadol; Phenaphen; Tempra; Tylenol (an analgesic for mild pain but not for inflammation; also used as an antipyretic; (Datril, Tylenol, Panadol, Phenaphen, Tempra, and Anacin III are trademarks of brands of acetaminophen tablets))

acetanilid; acetanilide; phenylacetamide; acetophenetidin; acetphenetidin; phenacetin (a white crystalline compound used as an analgesic and also as an antipyretic)

amidopyrine; aminopyrine (a white crystalline substance used as an analgesic and antipyretic)

acetylsalicylic acid; aspirin; Bayer; Empirin; St. Joseph (the acetylated derivative of salicylic acid; used as an analgesic anti-inflammatory drug (trade names Bayer, Empirin, and St. Joseph) usually taken in tablet form; used as an antipyretic; slows clotting of the blood by poisoning platelets)

codeine (derivative of opium; used as an antitussive (to relieve coughing) and an analgesic (to relieve pain))

colchicine (an analgesic drug derived from the saffron plant and used to treat gout)

Fentanyl; Sublimaze (trade names of a narcotic analgesic that can be inhaled and that acts on the central nervous system and may become addictive; used as a veterinary anesthetic and with other drugs before, during, and after surgery; also used as a nonlethal gas to incapacitate people in hostage situations; also abused as a recreational drug)

Dilaudid; hydromorphone; hydromorphone hydrochloride (a narcotic analgesic (trade name Dilaudid) used to treat moderate to severe pain)

morphia; morphine (an alkaloid narcotic drug extracted from opium; a powerful, habit-forming narcotic used to relieve pain)

pentazocine; Talwin (analgesic drug (trade name Talwin) that is less addictive than morphine)

phenazopyridine; Pyridium (analgesic (trade name Pyridium) used to treat urinary tract infections)

Darvon; propoxyphene; propoxyphene hydrochloride (a mildly narcotic analgesic drug (trade name Darvon) related to methadone but less addictive)

sodium salicylate (a crystalline salt used as an analgesic and antipyretic)

 Context examples 

The L-form of Phenylalanine is incorporated into proteins, while the D-form acts as a painkiller.

(Phenylalanine, NCI Thesaurus)

A widely used family of over-the-counter painkillers may increase the risk of having a heart attack, a new study suggests.

(Common Painkillers Linked to Increased Risk for Heart Attack, VOA)

The drugs include painkillers, hormones, anti-depressants and antihistamines.

(Experts Warn Prescription, Over-the-Counter Drugs Polluting World's Rivers, VOA)

Studies have shown that many opioid addictions start in the emergency room, where a patient with a broken bone or another injury is sent home with a prescription for a powerful painkiller.

(Study: Common Painkillers as Effective as Opioids in Hospital Emergency Room, VOA)

The project may pave the way for the development of more effective painkillers for the treatment of this debilitating chronic condition, which afflicts approximately 500 million people throughout the world.

(Genetic study paves way for new neuropathic pain treatments, University of Granada)

The study shows that patients given a cocktail of the same kind of painkillers found in such well-known, over-the-counter brands as Tylenol and Advil get the same kind of short-term pain relief as they get from the stronger medications.

(Study: Common Painkillers as Effective as Opioids in Hospital Emergency Room, VOA)