atabrine
|a-tab-rine|
/əˈtæbriːn/
antimalarial drug (quinacrine)
Etymology
'Atabrine' originates from the German trade name 'Atebrin', a brand name applied to the antimalarial compound quinacrine.
'Atabrine' changed from the German trade name 'Atebrin' and eventually became the modern English word 'atabrine' used generically for the drug quinacrine/mepacrine.
Initially, it meant 'the proprietary trade name of a specific antimalarial product', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'an antimalarial drug (quinacrine/mepacrine) used generically'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a synthetic antimalarial drug sold under the trade name Atabrine (also called quinacrine or mepacrine).
Soldiers in World War II were commonly given atabrine to prevent malaria.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/09 06:03