The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
n. A general anesthetic given intravenously or intramuscularly and used especially for minor surgical procedures in which muscle relaxation is not required.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
n. a general anesthetic and tranquilizer (not a barbiturate) that is administered intravenously or intramuscularly; used mainly by veterinarians or for minor surgery with geriatric or pediatric patients; taken in large doses it causes hallucinations similar to those associated with the use of PCP
Word Usage
"And they're using these dissociative anesthetics called ketamine, which isn't really, truly a painkiller."