English Explanatory Dictionary

atropine

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. An alkaloid extracted from the plant deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) and other sources, such as the seeds of the thorn-apple. Though overdoses would be fatal it is used as a drug in medicine for its paralytic effects (e.g. in surgery to relax muscles, in dentistry to dry the mouth, in ophthalmology to dilate the pupils).

Pronunciation

/ˈa.tɹə.piːn/ /ˈa.tɹəp.ɪn/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-atropine.wav /ˈæ.tɹəˌpin/

Word forms

atropine atropines atropia

Etymology

From Latin Atropa (“genus of deadly nightshade”) + -ine.

Derived words

apoatropine atropinic atropinism atropinization atropinize atropism benzatropine homatropine ipratropium methylatropine octatropine revatropate trop- -trop-
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