The word ‘barbiturate’ comes from the German language, coined in 1863 by chemist Adolf von Baeyer (1835-1917) from Barbitursäure “barbituric acid,” which was also coined by Baeyer, perhaps from woman’s name Barbara, or perhaps from Latin barbata, in Medieval Latin usnea barbata, literally meaning “bearded moss.” Second element is because it was obtained from uric acid. With chemical ending -ate.
