ketamine

noun

ke·​ta·​mine ˈke-tə-ˌmēn  ˈkē- 

: a general anesthetic that is administered intravenously and intramuscularly in the form of its hydrochloride C₁₃H₁₆ClNO·HCl and that is used illicitly usually by being inhaled in powdered form especially for the dreamlike or hallucinogenic state it produces

Note: Ketamine is also called Special K when used as a recreational drug

Examples of ketamine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In it, Martin Estrada, the former United States Attorney for the State of California Central District, claimed that the actor received 27 shots of ketamine in his final three days, among other alarming details. —Rebecca Aizin, People.com, 28 Feb. 2025

Fleming pleaded guilty on Aug. 8 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. —Tracy Wright, Fox News, 25 Feb. 2025

Officers initially thought the sneaker entrepreneur was carrying cocaine in his pocket, but further testing by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement revealed the powdery substance was something else: ketamine. —Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2025

Chavez pleaded guilty in October to one count of conspiring to distribute ketamine. —Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 24 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

ket(one) + amine

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ketamine

• acrolein
• adenine
• alkylene
• aniline
• anthracene
• aquiline
• asphaltene
• atlantean
• atrazine
• butadiene
• butylene
• caesarean

Medical Definition

ketamine

noun

ke·​ta·​mine ˈkēt-ə-ˌmēn 

: a general anesthetic that is administered intravenously or intramuscularly in the form of its hydrochloride C₁₃H₁₆ClNO·HCl and that is used illicitly usually by being inhaled in powdered form especially for the dreamlike or hallucinogenic state it produces see special k