Meaning

noun a sedative and tranquilizer (trade name Miltown and Equanil and Meprin) used to treat muscle tension and anxiety

originEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *médʰu Proto-Hellenic *métʰu Ancient Greek μέθυ (méthu) Proto-Indo-European *swel-der.? Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)der. German -yl German Methylbor. English me(thyl) French propionique ▲ Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)der. French -yle French propyl-der. English pro(pyl) English -bamate English meprobamate From me(thyl) + pro(pyl) + -bamate (“tranquilizer”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0