How Do You Spell BARBITAL?

Pronunciation: [bˈɑːbɪtə͡l] (IPA)

Barbital (/bɑːrˈbɪtəl/) is a drug that belongs to the class of barbiturates. The word is spelled using the letters B-A-R-B-I-T-A-L. The first syllable 'bar' is pronounced as /bɑːr/ with a long vowel sound. The second syllable 'bi' is pronounced as /ˈbaɪ/, while the third syllable 'tal' is pronounced as /təl/. The letter 'i' in the second syllable has a short vowel sound, making the pronunciation different from the word 'bite'. The word 'barbital' is commonly used as a sedative or sleeping pill in medical practice.

BARBITAL Meaning and Definition

1. Barbital is a noun that refers to a barbiturate drug, chemically known as diethylbarbituric acid, which acts as a sedative-hypnotic agent. It belongs to a class of drugs called barbiturates, which depress the central nervous system and induce sleep. Barbital was among the first barbiturates to be synthesized and its medicinal use can be traced back to the early 20th century.

   Barbital is primarily used for its hypnotic properties, as it can induce and maintain sleep. It works by enhancing the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that inhibits brain activity and brings about a calming effect. Besides its hypnotic effects, barbital also has anticonvulsant and anxiolytic properties. However, due to its slow onset of action, barbital has been largely replaced by shorter-acting barbiturates for medical purposes.

   In non-medical contexts, barbital is sometimes used as a synonym for any barbiturate drug, owing to its historic significance. It can also be employed as a chemical reagent in laboratory settings for various analytical procedures.

   While barbital's therapeutic use has declined, it is still worth noting that it is classified as a controlled substance in many countries due to its potential for abuse and addiction. Therefore, it should only be used under strict medical supervision to prevent misuse and adverse effects.

2. Trade name of veronal, diethylbarbituric acid, or diethylmalonylurea. as manufactured and sold in the United States.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for BARBITAL

• varbital
• narbital
• harbital
• garbital
• bzrbital
• bsrbital
• bwrbital
• bqrbital
• baebital
• badbital
• bafbital
• batbital
• ba5bital
• ba4bital
• barvital
• barnital
• barhital
• bargital
• barbutal

Etymology of BARBITAL

The word "barbital" is derived from "Barbituric acid", the compound from which it is synthesized. The term "barbituric" is a combination of "barbiturate" and "uric". "Barbiturate" refers to a class of drugs that depress the central nervous system, while "uric" refers to a compound that was once believed to be present in barbituric acid. Ultimately, the name "barbital" is a result of combining "barbituric acid" with the suffix "-al" to indicate that it is an alcohol derivative of the acid.

Similar spelling words for BARBITAL

• barbet,
• barbuda,
• Barbati,
• barbitone,
• barbette,
• barbiturate,
• barbate,
• bar bit.

Plural form of BARBITAL is BARBITALS