Standard Lemma guide

oxazepam

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: /ɒkˈseɪ.zɪ.pam/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ɒkˈsaz.ɪ.pam/
  • General-American: /ɑkˈsæz.əˌpæm/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A drug of the benzodiazepine group, used to treat anxiety states and insomnia; 7-chloro-1,3-dihydro-3-hydroxy-5-phenyl-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one, C15H11ClN2O2.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: medicine, pharmacology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Serax

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a tranquilizing drug (trade name Serax) used to treat anxiety and insomnia and alcohol withdrawal

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Serax

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: minor tranquilizer, minor tranquillizer, minor tranquilliser, antianxiety drug, anxiolytic, anxiolytic drug

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *wed- Proto-Indo-European *-r̥ Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ Proto-Hellenic *údōr Ancient Greek ῡ̆̔́δωρ (hū̆́dōr) Ancient Greek ὑδρο- (hudro-)lbor. French hydro- Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh1- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh1os Proto-Hellenic *génos Ancient Greek γένος (génos) Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *-ēs Ancient Greek -ης (-ēs) Ancient Greek -γενής (-genḗs)lbor. French -gène French hydrogènebor. English hydrogen Proto-Indo-European *h2eḱ-der.? Ancient Greek ὀξύς (oxús) ▲ Ancient Greek γένος (génos) French oxygènebor. English oxygen Proto-Indo-European *swel-der.? Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)der. Frenchder. English -yl blend English hydroxyl English hydroxy- 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 oxazepam From (hydr)ox(y)- + -azepam (“diazepam derivative”).