methadone

M3E1T1H4A1D2O1N1E1
UK/ˈmɛθ.əd.əʊn/US/ˈmɛθ.əˌdoʊn/

noun

A powerful synthetic analgesic drug which is similar to morphine in its effects but less sedative and is used as a substitute drug in the treatment of morphine and heroin addiction.

Similar
amidonemethadone hydrochloridemethadondolophine hydrochloridefixersynthetic heroin
OriginEnglish (heptan)one ← French phényle ← Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē) →
Less commonScrabble 15
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Meanings

nounmethadone (countable and uncountable, plural methadones)

plural methadones

  1. countableuncountablemedicineA powerful synthetic analgesic drug which is similar to morphine in its effects but less sedative and is used as a substitute drug in the treatment of morphine and heroin addiction.

    But methadone is a dangerous drug. If taken orally by a nonaddict, it can cause euphoria or even death.

    1971 March 19, Richard Severo, “Addiction: Chemistry Is the New Hope, but Degree of Its Effectiveness Is Still Disputed”, in The New York Times

    Synonyms: amidone

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA powerful synthetic analgesic drug which is similar to morphine in its effects but less sedative and is used as a substitute drug in the treatment of morphine and heroin addiction.

Similar
amidone

More synonyms by meaning

nounsynthetic narcotic drug similar to morphine but less habit-forming; used in narcotic detoxification and maintenance of heroin addiction

Similar
methadone hydrochloridemethadondolophine hydrochloridefixersynthetic heroin
Broader
narcotic
Also see
amidonefixer

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
  2. Proto-Indo-European*dwi-
  3. Proto-Hellenic*dwi-
  4. Ancient Greekδῐ- (dĭ-)
  5. Latindi-
  6. Englishdi-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*médʰu
  8. Proto-Hellenic*métʰu
  9. Ancient Greekμέθυ (méthu)
  10. Proto-Indo-European*swel-der.?
  11. Ancient Greekῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)
  12. GermanMethy
  13. Englishmethyl
  14. Englishdimethyl
  15. Egyptianjmn
  16. Ancient GreekᾸ̓́μμων (Ắmmōn)
  17. LatinAmmōn
  18. Latinammoniacus
  19. Englishammonia
  20. Englishamine
  21. Englishamino-
  22. Englishamino
  23. English(di)meth(yl)a(mino)
  24. Englishdi-
  25. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-
  26. Proto-Indo-European*bʰh₂nyéti
  27. Proto-Hellenic*pʰáňňō
  28. Ancient Greekφαίνω (phaínō)
  29. Frenchphéno-
  30. Ancient Greekῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)
  31. Frenchphényle
  32. Englishphenyl
  33. Englishd(iphenyl)
  34. English(heptan)one
  35. Englishmethadone

From (di)meth(yl)a(mino) + d(iphenyl) + (heptan)one.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Cantonese 美沙酮
  • 美沙酮 (mei⁵ saa¹ tung⁴)synthetic opioid analgesic
Chinese Mandarin 美沙酮, 美沙冬
  • 美沙酮 (měishātóng)synthetic opioid analgesic
  • 美沙冬 (měishādōng)synthetic opioid analgesic
Czech metadon
  • metadonsynthetic opioid analgesic
Esperanto metadono
  • metadonosynthetic opioid analgesic
Finnish metadoni
  • metadonisynthetic opioid analgesic
French méthadone
  • méthadonesynthetic opioid analgesic
German Methadon
  • Methadonsynthetic opioid analgesic
Polish metadon
  • metadonsynthetic opioid analgesic
Spanish metadona
  • metadonasynthetic opioid analgesic
Swedish metadon
  • metadonsynthetic opioid analgesic
Turkish metadon
  • metadonsynthetic opioid analgesic
Cite this entry
APA

methadone. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/methadone

MLA

“methadone.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/methadone. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “methadone,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/methadone.

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