1. A powerful anesthetic drug used in medical and veterinary practice, especially for inducing and maintaining anesthesia during surgery.
Usage: medical/pharmaceutical term; also used in emergency medicine and pain management
2. An illegal recreational drug that produces dissociative and hallucinogenic effects; often called 'Special K' or 'K' on the street.
Usage: slang; drug abuse context; controlled substance in most countries

Examples

• Ketamine is commonly used in operating rooms for anesthesia during surgical procedures.
• The veterinarian administered ketamine to sedate the large animal before examination.
• Researchers are studying ketamine as a potential treatment for severe depression.
• Emergency rooms sometimes use ketamine for rapid pain relief in trauma patients.
• Ketamine abuse has become a concern in some nightclub and party scenes.