stimulant

UK: /ˈstɪmjʊlənt/ US: /ˈstɪmjələnt/ ,(stim′yə lənt)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

stim•u•lant /ˈstɪmyələnt/   n. [countable]

1. Drugs an agent that temporarily quickens some bodily process, function, or activity:
   a heart stimulant.
2. any food or beverage that stimulates, esp. coffee or tea.
3. a stimulus or incentive:
   a stimulant to the sluggish economy.

adj. [before a noun]

4. temporarily quickening some vital process or functional activity.
5. stimulating.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

stim•u•lant  (stim′yə lənt), n. 

1. [Physiol., Med.] something that temporarily quickens some vital process or the functional activity of some organ or part:
   Adrenalin is a stimulant for the heart.
2. any food or beverage that stimulates, esp. coffee, tea, or, in its initial effect, alcoholic liquor.
3. a stimulus or incentive.

adj. 

4. [Physiol., Med.] temporarily quickening some vital process or functional activity.
5. stimulating. Cf. depressant. 

• Latin stimulant- (stem of stimulāns, present participle of stimulāre to goad). See stimulus, -ant
• 1720–30

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

stimulant / ˈstɪmjʊlənt/ noun

1. a drug or similar substance that increases physiological activity, esp of a particular organ
2. any stimulating agent or thing

adjective

1. increasing physiological activity; stimulating

Etymology: 18th Century: from Latin stimulāns goading, from stimulāre to urge on; see stimulus