Relaxants

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Substances that help induce a state of ease and tranquility
2. Compounds used to decrease muscle tightness and soothe physical strain
3. Medications that alleviate muscle stiffness by calming muscle activity

Etymology: "Relaxants" is the plural of "relaxant," a noun for a compound that eases muscle tension. The base word is the verb "relax," which came into English from Latin "relaxare," meaning "to loosen again" or "to slacken," built from "re-" (back, again) and "laxare" (to loosen), itself from "laxus" (loose, slack). The core idea is therefore one of undoing tightness, which the noun carries over directly into its medical sense. The suffix "-ant" is a familiar one in English, drawn from Latin present participles, and it turns a verb into a noun for an agent or substance that performs the action. A "relaxant" is thus a thing that relaxes, and the plural simply applies that label to several different substances at once.

Synonyms: tranquilizers, calming agents, sedatives, muscle relaxants, soothers