VALIUM

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Valium mean? 

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

1. a tranquilizer (trade name Valium) used to relieve anxiety and relax muscles; acts by enhancing the inhibitory actions of the neurotransmitter GABA; can also be used as an anticonvulsant drug in cases of nerve agent poisoning

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

 Dictionary entry details 

• VALIUM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A tranquilizer (trade name Valium) used to relieve anxiety and relax muscles; acts by enhancing the inhibitory actions of the neurotransmitter GABA; can also be used as an anticonvulsant drug in cases of nerve agent poisoning

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

diazepam; Valium

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

benzodiazepine (any of several similar lipophilic amines used as tranquilizers or sedatives or hypnotics or muscle relaxants; chronic use can lead to dependency)

Domain usage:

trade name (a name given to a product or service)

 Context examples 

It is an increase in the number of people who died from overdoses of Valium and other benzodiazepines.

(‘Sticky’ gene may help Valium calm nerves, National Institutes of Health)

Controlled substances with known medical use, such as morphine, Valium, and Ritalin, are available only by prescription from a licensed medical professional.

(Controlled substance, NCI Dictionary)

Also called Valium.

(Diazepam, NCI Dictionary)

Electrical recordings showed that Shisa7 hastened receptor responses to the transmitter GABA and nearly doubled the size of responses made in the presence of Valium (a.k.a. diazepam), suggesting the protein made the receptor more sensitive to benzodiazepines.

(‘Sticky’ gene may help Valium calm nerves, National Institutes of Health)