Paraldehyde

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Paraldehyde \Par*al"de*hyde\, n. [Pref. para- + aldehyde.]
     (Chem.)
     A trimer of acetaldehyde ({C6H12O3}), prepared by
     polymerization of acetaldehyde with hydrochloric and sulfuric
     acids. It has sedative and hypnotic properties. --MI11
     [PJC]



From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  paraldehyde
       n : a colorless liquid (a cyclic trimer of acetaldehyde) that is
           used as a sedative and a solvent [syn: {ethanal trimer}]