Meanings
plural methotrexates · abbreviation MTX
- countableuncountablemedicineAn antimetabolite and antifolate drug used in treatment of cancer, autoimmune diseases, and ectopic pregnancies.
One group would be treated with intensive methotrexate dosing, while the other group would be treated with milder and less intensive dosing.
2010, Siddhartha Mukherjee, The Emperor of All Maladies, Fourth Estate, published 2011, page 133Synonyms: amethopterin
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn antimetabolite and antifolate drug used in treatment of cancer, autoimmune diseases, and ectopic pregnancies.
More synonyms by meaning
nountoxic antimetabolite that limits cellular reproduction by acting as an antagonist to folic acid; used to treat certain cancers and psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Probably from metho- + tre- (“alteration of pteridine”) + (carbo)x(yl)ate.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
French méthotrexate
- méthotrexateantimetabolite and antifolate drug
German Methotrexat
- Methotrexatantimetabolite and antifolate drug
Hungarian metotrexát
- metotrexátantimetabolite and antifolate drug
Italian metotrexato
- metotrexatoantimetabolite and antifolate drug
Spanish metotrexato
- metotrexatoantimetabolite and antifolate drug
Cite this entry
methotrexate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/methotrexate
“methotrexate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/methotrexate. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “methotrexate,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/methotrexate.
Source: methotrexate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.