Bromide

 WORD OF THE DAY

bromide / noun / BROH-myde

Definition:
1: a binary compound of bromine with another element or a radical including some (such as potassium bromide) used as sedatives
2a: a commonplace or tiresome person
2b: bore
2c: a commonplace or hackneyed statement or notion.

Examples
"A banal bromide like 'trust the science' helps neither science nor the public in the long run. The key is effective communication: neither proselytizing nor bland recitation of the facts."
— Cory Franklin, The Wyoming County (Pennsylvania) Press Examiner, 9 Dec. 2020

Bromine arrives as sodium bromide, usually powdered, with specific instructions for the right amount to use for your pool size.
— Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 6 May 2021

Did You Know?
After bromine was discovered in 1827, chemists could not resist experimenting with the new element.
It didn't take long before they found uses for its compounds, in particular potassium bromide, which was used as a sedative to treat everything from epilepsy to sleeplessness.
By the 20th century, bromide was being used figuratively to apply to anything or anyone that might put one to sleep because of commonness or just plain dullness.