edrophonium

E1D2R1O1P3H4O1N1I1U1M3
US/ˌɛ.dɹəˈfoʊ.ni.əm/

noun

An anticholinesterase C₁₀H₁₆NO⁺ used especially to stimulate skeletal muscle and in the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis.

OriginEnglish onium ← New Latin ammōnium ← French phényle →
Scrabble 19
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Meanings

nounedrophonium (uncountable)
  1. uncountablebiochemistryAn anticholinesterase C₁₀H₁₆NO⁺ used especially to stimulate skeletal muscle and in the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eydʰ-
  2. Proto-Hellenic*áitʰō
  3. Ancient Greekαἴθω (aíthō)
  4. Ancient Greekᾱ̓ήρ (āḗr)influ.?
  5. Ancient Greekαἰθήρ (aithḗr)
  6. Latinaethēr
  7. GermanÄther
  8. GermanEther
  9. Proto-Indo-European*swel-der.?
  10. Ancient Greekῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)
  11. GermanEthy
  12. Englishethyl
  13. Proto-Indo-European*wed-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*wódr̥
  15. Proto-Hellenic*údōr
  16. Ancient Greekῡ̆̔́δωρ (hū̆́dōr)
  17. Ancient Greekῠ̔δρο- (hŭdro-)
  18. Englishhydro-
  19. Englishoxy
  20. Englishhydroxy
  21. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-
  22. Proto-Indo-European*bʰh₂nyéti
  23. Proto-Hellenic*pʰáňňō
  24. Ancient Greekφαίνω (phaínō)
  25. Frenchphéno-
  26. Ancient Greekῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)
  27. Frenchphényle
  28. Englishphenyl
  29. Englishhydroxyphenyl
  30. New Latinammōnium
  31. Englishammonium
  32. Englishonium
  33. Englishedrophonium

From e(thyl) + (hy)dro(xy)ph(enyl) + -onium (“quaternary ammonium compound”).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

edrophonium. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/edrophonium

MLA

“edrophonium.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/edrophonium. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “edrophonium,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/edrophonium.

Source: edrophonium on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.