piracetam

noun

pir·​ac·​e·​tam ˌpī(-ə)r-ˈa-sə-ˌtam How to pronounce piracetam (audio)
: an amine C6H10N2O2 that has been used as a nootropic

Examples of piracetam in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
So what does piracetam do to you? Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 14 Jan. 2015 Relentless Improvement, Nootropics, and Specialty Pharmacy sold their products as piracetam. Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 25 Nov. 2019 Of the four that actually did contain piracetam, one had dangerously high levels. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 26 Nov. 2019 The agency has specifically called out supplement makers for selling piracetam. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 26 Nov. 2019 The Food and Drug Administration doesn’t allow piracetam to be sold as a dietary supplement and has issued warning letters in the past to other companies marketing supplements that contain it. Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 25 Nov. 2019 The idea that piracetam might reverse that effect was exciting. Sara Solovitch, Washington Post, 11 June 2017 Modafinil, used in the treatment of narcolepsy, and piracetam, for dementia, are two of the most popular. Aaron E. Carroll, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2016 A 1999 study found that piracetam had beneficial effects on the hippocampal membranes of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Sara Solovitch, Washington Post, 11 June 2017

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary pir- (alteration of pyrrolidine, a pyrrole derivative) + acetamide

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of piracetam was in 1972

Dictionary Entries Near piracetam

Cite this Entry

“Piracetam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/piracetam. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

piracetam

noun
pir·​ac·​e·​tam ˌpī(ə)r-ˈas-ə-ˌtam How to pronounce piracetam (audio)
: a derivative C6H10N2O2 of pyrrolidine that has been used as a nootropic
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