pentobarbital

noun

pen·​to·​bar·​bi·​tal ˌpen-tə-ˈbär-bə-ˌtȯl 

: a granular barbiturate C₁₁H₁₈N₂O₃ used especially in the form of its sodium or calcium salt as a sedative, hypnotic, and antispasmodic

Examples of pentobarbital in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Tennessee utilizes a single-drug lethal injection protocol centered on the barbiturate pentobarbital, according to the state’s Department of Corrections. — Jim Turner, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026

The pentobarbital didn’t kill her, but her lawyers said her arms were burned and blistered from the caustic drugs. — Jeffrey Collins, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Neither the initial nor the backup dose of pentobarbital worked. — Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026

Tennessee changed its lethal injection protocol in 2024, abandoning its previous three-drug method in favor of the single drug pentobarbital, which slows down a person’s nervous system. — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

penta- + -o- + barbital

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pentobarbital

• barbital

Medical Definition

pentobarbital

noun

pen·​to·​bar·​bi·​tal ˌpent-ə-ˈbär-bə-ˌtȯl 

: a granular barbiturate used especially in the form of its sodium salt C₁₁H₁₇N₂NaO₃ or calcium salt (C₁₁H₁₇N₂O₃)₂Ca as a sedative, hypnotic, and antispasmodic