valium

IPA/ˈvæl.i.əm/
KK[vˈeliəm]IPA/ˈvæl.i.əm/

valium — noun

  • valiumsingular
  • valiumsplural

1. a well-known prescription medication, sold under the brand name Valium, that doc

1.nounB2
Definition

a well-known prescription medication, sold under the brand name Valium, that doctors use to reduce anxiety, relax muscles, or help people sleep, or a tablet of this drug

Example

Ilan was prescribed Valium to help him sleep the night before the surgery.

passive: be prescribed Valium

Adisa kept a single Valium tablet in her purse for emergencies only.

countable: a Valium tablet

Common collocations
  • prescribe Valium
  • take Valium
  • on Valium
  • a Valium prescription
  • a low dose of Valium
  • a Valium tablet
Synonyms
  • diazepam

    the official generic (chemical) name for the active ingredient in Valium; used mainly by medical professionals and on prescription labels

  • tranquilizer

    a broad category of calming drugs that includes Valium as one example; less precise and somewhat old-fashioned

  • benzodiazepine

    the drug class that Valium belongs to, along with Xanax and Ativan; describes the chemical family rather than the specific brand

  • sedative

    a general term for any drug that induces calmness or sleep; broader than Valium and includes non-benzodiazepine options

Antonyms
  • stimulant

    a drug that increases energy and alertness, producing the opposite effect of Valium

Usage Note

Valium is a trademarked brand name owned by Roche Pharmaceuticals, but in everyday language it is often used to refer to any diazepam medication. Usually uncountable when referring to the drug generally ('on Valium'), though countable uses for individual tablets are common ('a Valium'). A prescription is required in most countries.

Common Mistakes

I bought Valium at the pharmacy without a prescription.
Valium requires a prescription from a doctor.
Valium is a controlled substance that cannot be obtained over the counter.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Valium is a specific brand name, while diazepam is its official generic name — doctors write 'diazepam' on prescriptions, but patients typically say 'Valium.' Tranquilizer is a broad, somewhat dated term for any calming drug and lacks the medical precision of Valium or diazepam. Benzodiazepine names the entire drug class that includes Valium, Xanax, and Ativan; it describes how these drugs work on the central nervous system rather than any single brand. Sedative is the widest term, covering any substance that reduces activity and promotes sleep, from Valium to over-the-counter sleep aids. In casual conversation, people say 'I take Valium for anxiety,' while a doctor would say 'I prescribe diazepam' or 'a benzodiazepine.'

diazepam ↗tranquilizer ↗benzodiazepine ↗sedative

Common collocations

Nouns

  • Valium prescription
  • Valium tablet
  • Valium user

Adverbs

  • commonly prescribed
  • widely used

Phrases

  • prescribe Valium
  • take Valium
  • be on Valium
  • respond to Valium

Prepositions

  • on Valium
  • off Valium
  • a dose of Valium

Etymology

LatinEnglish (coined brand name)

Valium is a brand name created by Roche Pharmaceuticals in 1963 for the drug diazepam. The name is thought to derive from the Latin verb valere, meaning 'to be strong' or 'to be well.' During the 1960s and 1970s, Valium became one of the most widely prescribed medications in the Western world, and the word entered everyday vocabulary as a symbol of the era's approach to managing anxiety.