thalidomide

[ thuh-lid-uh-mahyd ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a crystalline, slightly water-soluble solid, C 13 H 10 N 2 O 4 , formerly used as a sedative: if taken during pregnancy, it may cause severe abnormalities in the limbs of the fetus.

thalidomide

/ θəˈlɪdəˌmaɪd /

1. a synthetic drug formerly used as a sedative and hypnotic but withdrawn from the market when found to cause abnormalities in developing fetuses. Formula: C 13 H 10 N 2 O 4
2. ( as modifier )
  a thalidomide baby

thalidomide

/ thə-lĭd′ə-mīd′ /

A drug used to treat leprosy. It was previously prescribed to treat nausea during early pregnancy, but was found to cause severe birth defects, including stunting or absence of the limbs. Chemical formula: C 13 H 10 N 2 O 4 .

thalidomide

A sedative drug that was developed and used in Europe in the 1960s. Thalidomide was taken off the market when it became evident that it caused severe birth defects in babies born to women who had used the drug during pregnancy.

References to thalidomide are often made when illustrating the dangers of using drugs whose side effects are not well known.

1955–60; (ph)thal(im)ido(glutari)mide, equivalent to phthalimide ( phthal(ic) + imide ) + -o- + glutarimide ( glut(en) + (tart)ar(ic) + imide )

C20: from thallic + -id- (from imide ) + imide

He came to Strasbourg, France, to witness the free speech argument in Harry Evans's landmark thalidomide case.

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