parasympathomimetic
|pa-ra-sym-pa-tho-mi-met-ic|
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/ˌpærəˌsɪmpəθoʊmɪˈmɛtɪk/
🇬🇧
/ˌpærəˌsɪmpəθəʊmɪˈmɛtɪk/
mimics parasympathetic activity
Etymology
'parasympathomimetic' originates from modern/technical coinage (New Latin/medical formation) combining Greek-derived elements: 'para-' meaning 'beside/near', 'sympatho-' from Greek 'sympathēs' relating to 'sympathy' or the 'sympathetic' concept (here: the sympathetic/parasympathetic nervous-system terminology), and '-mimetic' from Greek 'mimētikos' meaning 'imitative'.
'parasympathomimetic' was formed in medical and pharmacological usage in the 19th–20th centuries from the combination 'parasympatho-' + 'mimetic' (analogous to 'sympathomimetic'), likely appearing in New Latin or Latinized technical usage such as 'parasympathomimeticus' before standardization in English medical literature.
Initially coined to describe agents that imitate parasympathetic nervous-system effects; over time the term has remained specialized but retained this original meaning, now commonly referring to cholinomimetic drugs or other agents producing parasympathetic-like responses.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a drug or agent that mimics the actions of the parasympathetic nervous system.
Pilocarpine is a commonly used parasympathomimetic in ophthalmology.
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Adjective 1
mimicking or producing effects similar to stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system (e.g., decreasing heart rate, increasing glandular secretions).
The compound has parasympathomimetic effects that can reduce heart rate and increase salivation.
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Last updated: 2025/10/19 12:13