paraldehyde

[ puh-ral-duh-hahyd ]

noun

, Chemistry, Pharmacology.

1. a colorless, liquid, cyclic compound, C 6 H 1 2 O 3 , having a disagreeable taste but an agreeable odor, produced by the polymerization of acetaldehyde with sulfuric acid: used chiefly in the manufacture of organic chemicals and in medicine as a sedative and hypnotic.

paraldehyde

/ pəˈrældɪˌhaɪd /

noun

1. a colourless liquid substance that is a cyclic trimer of acetaldehyde: used in making dyestuffs and as a hypnotic and anticonvulsant drug. Formula: (C 2 H 4 O) 3

Word History and Origins

Origin of paraldehyde¹

First recorded in 1855–60; par- + aldehyde

Example Sentences

For the same reason the use of paraldehyde in such cases is quite inadmissable.

From Project Gutenberg

The substance investigated was acetaldehyde, C2H4O, in its relation to paraldehyde, a polymeric modification.

From Project Gutenberg

An ounce of this mixture contains forty-five grains of paraldehyde.

From Project Gutenberg

Recently, paraldehyde has been employed as a substitute for chloral.

From Project Gutenberg

For this reason it is possible to determine the freezing point curves of acetaldehyde and paraldehyde.

From Project Gutenberg