antiinflammatories
|an-ti-in-flam-ma-to-ries|
🇺🇸
/ˌæntiɪnˈflæmətɔːriz/
🇬🇧
/ˌæntiɪnˈflæmətəriz/
(antiinflammatory)
against inflammation
Etymology
'antiinflammatories' originates from a combination of Greek 'anti-' (against) and Latin 'inflammare' (to set on fire), formed in Modern English as 'anti-inflammatory' and pluralized as 'antiinflammatories'.
'inflammare' (Latin) gave rise to medieval Latin 'inflammatio' and the adjective 'inflammatory' in English; the prefix 'anti-' was attached in Modern English (19th century) to create 'anti-inflammatory', which later produced the noun/plural 'antiinflammatories'.
Initially related to the idea of opposing 'burning' or swelling (literally 'against burning'), it evolved into the specific modern medical sense of 'counteracting inflammation' and denoting drugs that reduce inflammation.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'antiinflammatory': medicines or substances that reduce inflammation and related pain or swelling.
The doctor recommended taking antiinflammatories to reduce the swelling.
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Adjective 1
having the property of reducing inflammation; used to describe a drug or substance that counteracts inflammation.
Many creams have antiinflammatories to soothe irritated skin.
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Last updated: 2025/09/02 09:41