noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/lɔːˈɹeɪ.zɪ.pam/
Received-Pronunciation:/lɔːˈɹaz.ɪ.pam/
General-American:/lɔɹˈæz.əˌpæm/
General-American:/lɚˈæz.əˌpæm/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A drug of the benzodiazepine group, used especially to treat anxiety.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: medicine, pharmacology, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Ativan
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
tranquilizer (trade name Ativan) used to treat anxiety and tension and insomnia
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Ativan
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: benzodiazepine
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵhelh3- Proto-Hellenic *khlōrós Ancient Greek χλωρός (khlōrós) English chloro- English chlor- Arabic لُبَان (lubān) Proto-Indo-European *yew- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *yéwos Proto-Indo-Iranian *yáwas Sanskrit यव (yava)bor.? Proto-Austronesian *zawa Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *zawader.? Old Javanese jawa Old Javanese -i Old Javanese Jawi Javanese ꦗꦮꦶ (jawi)der. Arabic جَاوَة (jāwa) Proto-Afroasiatic Proto-Semitic Arabic ـِيّ (-iyy) Arabic جَاوِيّ (jāwiyy) Arabic لُبَان جَاوِيّ (lubān jāwiyy)bor. Catalan benjuíder. Middle French benjoinder. English benzoin English benzo- Proto-Indo-European *dwóh1 Proto-Indo-European *dwi- Proto-Hellenic *dwi- Ancient Greek δῐ- (dĭ-)bor. Latin di-bor. English di- Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Hellenic *ə- Ancient Greek ᾰ̓- (ă-) Proto-Indo-European *gweyh3- Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *gwih3wós Proto-Indo-European *gwíh3weti Proto-Hellenic *gwyṓw-ō Proto-Hellenic *ďṓwō Ancient Greek ζώω (zṓō) Ancient Greek ζῶ (zô) Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Ancient Greek -ᾱ (-ā) Ancient Greek -η (-ē) Ancient Greek ζωή (zōḗ) French azotebor. English azote English az- Proto-Afroasiatic *sṗɣ? Proto-Semitic *šabʕ-bor.? Proto-Indo-European *septḿ̥ Proto-Hellenic *heptə́ Ancient Greek ἑπτᾰ́ (heptắ)der. French hepta- Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos Proto-Italic *-īnos Latin -īnus French -in Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-eh2 Proto-Italic *-ā Latin -am Old French -e French -e French -ine English -epine English azepine English diazepine English (benzo)diazep(ine) Egyptian jmnbor. Ancient Greek Ᾰ̓́μμων (Ắmmōn)bor. Latin Ammōn Latin ammoniacusder. English ammonia Proto-Indo-European *dheh1-der. Proto-Italic *-iðos Latin -idusder. English -ide English am(ide) English diazepam English -azepam English lorazepam From (ch)lor- + -azepam (“diazepam derivative”).