n.
Pronunciation: bär- ' bi-ch ə -r ə t, - ˌ r ā t; ˌ bär-b ə - ' tyu ̇ r- ə t, - ' tu ̇ r-, - ˌ ā t; ÷bär- ' bi-ch ə -w ə t
Function: noun
Date: 1928
1 : a salt or ester of barbituric acid
2 : any of various derivatives of barbituric acid (as phenobarbital) that are used especially as sedatives, hypnotics, and antispasmodics and are often addictive