pethidine

P3E1T1H4I1D2I1N1E1
/ˈpɛθ.ɪ.diːn/

noun

A synthetic compound used as a painkilling drug, especially for women in labor.

Similar
isonipecainelidolmeperidineoperidinepethanolpiridosal
OriginEnglish ethyl ← German Ethy ← Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē) →
UncommonScrabble 15
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Meanings

nounpethidine (countable and uncountable, plural pethidines)

plural pethidines

  1. countableuncountablemedicineA synthetic compound used as a painkilling drug, especially for women in labor.

    Inside was a clutter of prescription pads and a carton containing a collection of diamorphine syrettes and a dozen ampoules of pethidine.

    2000, JG Ballard, Super-Cannes, Fourth Estate, published 2011, page 125

    Synonyms: isonipecaine, lidol, meperidine, operidine, pethanol, piridosal

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA synthetic compound used as a painkilling drug, especially for women in labor.

Similar
isonipecainelidolmeperidineoperidinepethanolpiridosal

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekπέπερῐ (péperĭ)
  2. Latinpiper
  3. Englishpiperidine
  4. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eydʰ-
  5. Proto-Hellenic*áitʰō
  6. Ancient Greekαἴθω (aíthō)
  7. Ancient Greekᾱ̓ήρ (āḗr)influ.?
  8. Ancient Greekαἰθήρ (aithḗr)
  9. Latinaethēr
  10. GermanÄther
  11. GermanEther
  12. Proto-Indo-European*swel-der.?
  13. Ancient Greekῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)
  14. GermanEthy
  15. Englishethyl
  16. Englishpethidine

Blend of p(iper)idine + eth(yl).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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