analgesic

American  

[an-l-jee-zik, -sik] / ˌæn lˈdʒi zɪk, -sɪk /

noun

1. a remedy that relieves or allays pain.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or causing analgesia, or the relief of pain.

analgesic British  

/ -sɪk, ˌænəlˈdʒiːzɪk /

adjective

1. of or causing analgesia

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noun

1. a substance that produces analgesia

analgesic Scientific  

/ ăn′əl-jē′zĭk /

1. A drug used to eliminate pain; a painkiller. Aspirin and acetaminophen are analgesics.

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analgesic Cultural  

1. A drug, such as aspirin, that relieves pain in the body.

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Usage

What does analgesic mean? An analgesic is a remedy that reduces or relieves pain. It especially refers to pain relief medicine, such as acetaminophen.Analgesics also include drugs known as NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as ibuprofen.Analgesic can also be used as an adjective describing things that have pain-relieving effects, as in the analgesic properties of certain herbs.Analgesic comes from the word analgesia, which means a lessening of pain or the absence of pain.Example: Aspirin is a well-known and commonly used analgesic.

Etymology

Origin of analgesic

First recorded in 1870–75; analges(ia) + -ic

Example Sentences

Some individuals find limited relief through capsaicin cream, an over-the-counter analgesic that creates a warming sensation.

From Science Daily • Nov. 27, 2025

There's this much reported case of a woman who suffered from convulsions after taking a medicine for diabetes which had a similar sounding name to an analgesic she had been prescribed.

From BBC • Sep. 30, 2025

And so there is no analgesic for the moral injury that comes with realizing that Canadian McDonald’s have decided American Big Macs are simply too small for their liking.

From Slate • Sep. 7, 2023

As for pain relief, two studies were conducted to examine the analgesic effect of nostalgia on different levels of pain.

From National Geographic • Jul. 28, 2023

As an analgesic, it is uniform in its action, and this is due to the suspension of the physiological functions of the sensory cells which it comes in contact with.

From Alcohol: A Dangerous and Unnecessary Medicine, How and Why What Medical Writers Say by Allen, Martha Meir