amphetamine

See also: amphétamine

English

Alternative forms

amfetamine

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Semitic *ʔalp-

Phoenician 𐤀𐤋𐤐 (ʾlp)bor.

Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha)

Proto-Semitic *bayt-

Phoenician 𐤁𐤕 (bt)bor.

Ancient Greek βῆτᾰ (bêtă)

Proto-Indo-European *-os

Proto-Hellenic *-os

Ancient Greek -ος (-os)

Ancient Greek ἀλφάβητος (alphábētos)

Byzantine Greek ἀλφάβητον (alphábēton)der.

Classical Latin alphabētumbor.

Middle English alphabete

English alphabet

English alpha-

Proto-Indo-European *médʰu

Proto-Hellenic *métʰu

Ancient Greek μέθυ (méthu)

Proto-Indo-European *swel-der.?

Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)der.

German -yl

German Methylbor.

English methyl

Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂-

Proto-Indo-European *-né-

Proto-Indo-European *-yéti

Proto-Indo-European *bʰh₂nyéti

Proto-Hellenic *pʰáňňō

Ancient Greek φαίνω (phaínō)der.

▲

Ancient Greek φαίνω (phaínō)der.

French phéno-

▲

Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)der.

French -yle

French phénylebor.

English phenyl

Ancient Greek -ο- (-o-)der.

Latin -o-bor.

English -o-

English pheno-

English phen-

Proto-Indo-European *h₂eydʰ-der.

Proto-Hellenic *áitʰō

Ancient Greek αἴθω (aíthō)

▲

Ancient Greek ᾱ̓ήρ (āḗr)influ.?

Ancient Greek αἰθήρ (aithḗr)der.

Latin aethērbor.

German Äther

German Ether

▲

German -yl

German Ethylbor.

English ethyl

Egyptian jmnbor.

Ancient Greek Ᾰ̓́μμων (Ắmmōn)bor.

Latin Ammōn

Latin ammoniacusder.

English ammonia

Proto-Indo-European *-nós

Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos

Proto-Italic *-īnos

Latin -īnusder.

Old French -inbor.

Middle English -in

English -ine

English amine

English -amine

English ethylamine

English phenethylamine

English methylphenethylamine

English alpha-methylphenethylamineder.

English amphetamine

Shortened form of a(lpha-)m(ethyl)ph(en)et(hyl)amine.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /æmˈfɛt.ə.miːn/, /æmˈfɛt.əm.ɪn/
Audio (US): (file)

Noun

amphetamine (countable and uncountable, plural amphetamines)

(organic chemistry, proper) The racemic freebase of 1-phenylpropan-2-amine; an equal parts mixture of levoamphetamine and dextroamphetamine in their pure amine forms.
(informal) Any mixture of the two amphetamine enantiomers, dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine.
(informal, nonstandard) Referring to a substituted amphetamine; a member of the amphetamine class of chemicals.
(medicine, pharmacology) A potent central nervous system stimulant of the phenethylamine chemical class that is used to treat ADHD, narcolepsy, and obesity.
Synonym: mini beans (slang)

Derived terms

Translations