Home US English terbutaline

Definition of terbutaline in English:

terbutaline

noun

Medicine

  • A synthetic compound with bronchodilator properties, used especially in the treatment of asthma.

    Chemical formula: C₁₂H₁₉NO₃

    ‘She took terbutaline, an asthma drug, to stop premature labor for the last three months of her pregnancy.’
    • ‘Terbutaline passes into breast milk but has not been shown to cause harmful effects in the infant.’

Pronunciation

terbutaline

/tərˈbyo͞odlˌēn/ /tərˈbjudlˌin/

Origin

1960s from ter-+ butyl (elements of the systematic name), on the pattern of words such as isoprenaline.