Standard Lemma guide

dexamethasone

noun · 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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  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌdɛk.səˈmɛθ.ə.səʊn/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌdɛk.səˈmɛθ.ə.zəʊn/
  • General-American: /ˌdɛk.səˈmɛθ.əˌsoʊn/
  • General-American: /ˌdɛk.səˈmɛθ.əˌzoʊn/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A synthetic member of the glucocorticoid-class of steroid hormones, having the chemical formula C22H29FO5, and used especially as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: biochemistry, biology, chemistry, medicine, microbiology, natural-sciences, pharmacology, physical-sciences, sciences

Examples

  • Many dexamethasones act as anti-inflammatory agents.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a corticosteroid drug (trade names Decadron or Dexamethasone Intensol or Dexone or Hexadrol or Oradexon) used to treat allergies or inflammation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Decadron, Dexamethasone Intensol, Dexone, Hexadrol, Oradexon

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: anti-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory drug, corticosteroid, corticoid, adrenal cortical steroid

History

Etymology

From dex- + -a- + -methasone (“prednisone or prednisolone derivative”).

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: dexametasona — Translations
  • Chinese Mandarin: 地塞米松 (dìsàimǐsōng) — Translations
  • Finnish: deksametasoni — Translations
  • French: dexaméthasone — Translations
  • German: Dexamethason — Translations
  • Portuguese: dexametasona — Translations
  • Spanish: dexametasona — Translations