Mdma

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A synthetic drug known for its psychoactive effects, often associated with feelings of euphoria and increased sociability
2. Commonly used in parties or clubs to enhance emotional experiences and sensory perceptions
3. Chemically related to both stimulants and hallucinogens, this substance impacts mood, perception, and consciousness

Etymology: MDMA is an abbreviation, not a word that grew from older roots: it stands for 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine, a name that describes its chemistry. The "methamphetamine" part points to its family of amphetamine-type compounds, while "methylenedioxy" refers to the two-oxygen ring attached to the benzene core, which distinguishes it from methamphetamine itself. The compound was first synthesized in 1912 by the German company Merck, which was looking for a substance that could stop bleeding. The chemists who made it did not pursue that goal, and the compound lay largely unstudied for decades. It resurfaced in the 1950s, when the US Army tested it, and again in the 1970s, when psychotherapists and chemists began experimenting with it and gave it the informal nickname "Adam." The abbreviation became a recreational name in the 1980s and 1990s, when it was popularized under the slang "ecstasy," a term that was later applied to it in clubs and in the press.

Synonyms: ecstasy, molly