Tranquillizer
/ˈtræŋ.kwɪ.laɪ.zə(r)/noun
A drug that reduces anxiety, agitation, or nervous excitement.
Did you know?The term became widely popular in the 1950s after meprobamate was marketed as a new kind of medication for emotional tension and anxiety.
Etymological Timeline
Late Antiquity
Latin
tranquillus
“Calm, still, peaceful, or undisturbed”
12th–13th Century
Old French
tranquille
“Calm, quiet, and free from disturbance”
15th Century
English
tranquil
“Calm, peaceful, or mentally untroubled”
17th–19th Century
English
tranquilize
“To make calm or composed; later, to calm medically”
1950s
English
tranquillizer
“A drug intended to reduce anxiety, agitation, or nervous excitement”
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