Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A general anesthetic given intravenously or intramuscularly, used especially for minor surgical procedures in which muscle relaxation is not required, and used illegally as a recreational drug.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun a pain-killing drug and anaesthetic

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a general anesthetic and tranquilizer (not a barbiturate) that is administered intravenously or intramuscularly; used mainly by veterinarians or for minor surgery with geriatric or pediatric patients; taken in large doses it causes hallucinations similar to those associated with the use of PCP

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[ket(o)– + amine.]

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Examples

  • And they're using these dissociative anesthetics called ketamine, which isn't really, truly a painkiller.

    CNN Transcript Jan 18, 2010 2010

  • During the search of a northwest Edmonton home on Nov. 30th, 2009 officers seized 19 kilograms of a drug called ketamine, which is known to be popular at raves.

    CTV News RSS Feed 2009

  • A report released this month by University College London has show a link between long term ketamine use and short term memory loss.

    Mixmag - The world's biggest dance music and clubbing magazine 2009

  • CHENNAI: Officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Chennai, seized 197 kg of ketamine from a Malaysia-bound container at the Chennai port on Tuesday.

    The Times of India 2008

  • We found out the next day that he had tested positive for benzos, methadone, barbiturates and had a blood alcohol level of point nine on top of doing the heroin and the ketamine, which is a lethal combination in itself.

    Twenty-three-year-olds Shouldn't Be Writing Memoirs (Ch 5) Robert David Moseley 2011

  • A medicine called ketamine is exceptional in that people given ketamine are less depressed almost immediately.

    Marina Picciotto, Ph.D.: Advances in How to Think About and Treat Depression Ph.D. Marina Picciotto 2010

  • They had traced this drug ketamine, which is a form of a date rape drug, Tony ...

    CNN Transcript Nov 2, 2006 2006

  • They began to call ketamine hydrochloride “the goddess Ketamine.”

    Without Pity Ann Rule 2003

  • They began to call ketamine hydrochloride “the goddess Ketamine.”

    Without Pity Ann Rule 2003

  • The misuse of flunitrazepam (sold under the brand name Rohypnol) has been reduced, thanks to international efforts, but the report said criminals are now using gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), also known as ketamine, and gamma butyrolactone (GBL).

    CBC | Top Stories News 2010

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