Standard Lemma guide

demyelinate

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • UK: /diːˈmaɪ(j)əlɪneɪt/

1

verb

Meaning 1

To remove the myelin sheath from a nerve

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: medicine, pathology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

destroy the myelin sheath of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the disease demyelinated the nerve fibers

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: destroy, destruct

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Indo-European *-h1 Proto-Indo-European *déh1 Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Latin dē-der. English de- English myelin Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh2tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātuslbor. English -ate English demyelinate From de- + myelin + -ate (verb-forming suffix).

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: demyelinoida — to remove the myelin sheath from a nerve
  • French: démyéliniser — to remove the myelin sheath from a nerve
  • German: demyelinisieren — to remove the myelin sheath from a nerve
  • Irish: dímhiailinigh — to remove the myelin sheath from a nerve
  • Portuguese: desmielinizar — to remove the myelin sheath from a nerve