mifepristone

M3I1F4E1P3R1I1S1T1O1N1E1
UK/ˌmɪ.fɛˈpɹɪ.stəʊn/US/ˌmɪf.əˈpɹɪˌstoʊn/

noun

A steroid medication that inhibits the action of progesterone, typically given orally in combination with misoprostol in early pregnancy to induce abortion.

Similar
RU-486abortion pillRU 486
OriginEnglish ketone ← German Keton →
UncommonScrabble 19
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Meanings

nounmifepristone (uncountable)
  1. uncountablemedicineA steroid medication that inhibits the action of progesterone, typically given orally in combination with misoprostol in early pregnancy to induce abortion.

    Now a year later, as the courts consider the fate of mifepristone and abortion providers gird for the possibility of a miso-only protocol, Cristina says that she’s grateful she was able to end her unwanted pregnancy, although she knows not everyone has access to the same resources […]

    2023 July 31, Sara Hutchinson, “Having an Abortion at Home? There’s a Hotline for That”, in Cosmopolitan, archived from the original on 16 Feb 2024

    Synonyms: RU-486

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA steroid medication that inhibits the action of progesterone, typically given orally in combination with misoprostol in early pregnancy to induce abortion.

Similar
RU-486

More synonyms by meaning

nounan abortion-inducing drug (trade name RU 486) developed in France; when taken during the first five weeks of pregnancy it blocks the action of progesterone so that the uterus sloughs off the embryo

Similar
abortion pillRU 486
Broader
abortifacientaborticideabortion-inducing drug
Also see
abortion pillru-486

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. English(a)mi(no)phe(nyl)
  2. Englishpr(opargyl)
  3. Englishist-
  4. GermanKeton
  5. Englishketone
  6. Englishmifepristone

From (a)mi(no)phe(nyl) + pr(opargyl) + ist- (“alteration of (o)est(radiol)”) + -one.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch mifepriston
  • mifepristonsteroid medication used to induce abortion
French mifépristone
  • mifépristonesteroid medication used to induce abortion
German Mifepriston
  • Mifepristonsteroid medication used to induce abortion
Hungarian mifepriszton
  • mifeprisztonsteroid medication used to induce abortion
Italian mifepristone
  • mifepristonesteroid medication used to induce abortion
Russian мифепристо́н
  • мифепристо́н (mifepristón)steroid medication used to induce abortion
Spanish mifepristona
  • mifepristonasteroid medication used to induce abortion
Vietnamese mifepristone
  • mifepristonesteroid medication used to induce abortion
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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