Standard Lemma guide

phencyclidine

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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  • /fɛnˈsaɪ.klɪ.diːn/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A synthetic compound derived from piperidine, used as a veterinary anesthetic and in hallucinogenic drugs such as angel dust.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: medicine, pharmacology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: PCP, angel dust

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a drug used as an anesthetic by veterinarians; illicitly taken (originally in the form of powder or `dust') for its effects as a hallucinogen

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: phencyclidine hydrochloride, PCP, angel dust

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: hallucinogen, hallucinogenic drug, psychedelic drug, psychodelic drug

History

Etymology

Contraction of phenylcyclohexylpiperidine.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: fensyklidiini — veterinary anesthetic, used illegally in humans as a hallucinogen
  • German: Phencyclidin — veterinary anesthetic, used illegally in humans as a hallucinogen
  • Hungarian: fenciklidin — veterinary anesthetic, used illegally in humans as a hallucinogen
  • Russian: фенциклиди́н (fenciklidín) — veterinary anesthetic, used illegally in humans as a hallucinogen