Standard Lemma guide

methamphetamine

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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˌmɛθæmˈfɛtəˌmiːn/
  • /ˌmɛθæmˈfɛtəˌmɪn/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: M EH2 TH AE0 M F EH1 T AH0 M IY0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: M EH2 TH AE0 M F EH1 T AH0 M AY0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A highly addictive phenethylamine stimulant drug. Its systematic (IUPAC) name is (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: crystal meth, ice (formulation-specific nicknames); speed (also includes other similar drugs)

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: meth, methedrine, crank, crystal meth, ice, speed

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

an amphetamine derivative (trade name Methedrine) used in the form of a crystalline hydrochloride; used as a stimulant to the nervous system and as an appetite suppressant

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: methamphetamine hydrochloride, Methedrine, meth, deoxyephedrine, chalk, chicken feed, crank, glass, ice, shabu, trash

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: amphetamine, pep pill, upper, speed, controlled substance

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *médhu Proto-Hellenic *méthu Ancient Greek μέθυ (méthu) Proto-Indo-European *swel-der.? Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)der. German -yl German Methylbor. English methyl Ancient Greek -ο- (-o-)der. Latin -o-bor. English -o- English metho-der. English meth- Proto-Semitic *ʔalp- Phoenician 𐤀𐤋𐤐 (ʾlp)bor. Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha) Proto-Semitic *bayt- Phoenician 𐤁𐤕 (bt)bor. Ancient Greek βῆτᾰ (bêtă) Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Hellenic *-os Ancient Greek -ος (-os) Ancient Greek ἀλφάβητος (alphábētos) Byzantine Greek ἀλφάβητον (alphábēton)der. Classical Latin alphabētumbor. Middle English alphabete English alphabet English alpha- ▲ English methyl Proto-Indo-European *bheh2-der. Proto-Hellenic *pháňňō Ancient Greek φαίνω (phaínō)der. ▲ Ancient Greek φαίνω (phaínō)der. French phéno- ▲ Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)der. French -yle French phénylebor. English phenyl ▲ English -o- English pheno- English phen- Proto-Indo-European *h2eydh-der. Proto-Hellenic *áithō Ancient Greek αἴθω (aíthō) ▲ Ancient Greek ᾱ̓ήρ (āḗr)influ.? Ancient Greek αἰθήρ (aithḗr)der. Latin aethērbor. German Äther German Ether ▲ German -yl German Ethylbor. English ethyl Egyptian jmnbor. Ancient Greek Ᾰ̓́μμων (Ắmmōn)bor. Latin Ammōn Latin ammoniacusder. English ammonia Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos Proto-Italic *-īnos Latin -īnusder. Old French -inbor. Middle English -in English -ine English amine English -amine English ethylamine English phenethylamine English methylphenethylamine English alpha-methylphenethylamineder. English amphetamine English methamphetamine From meth- + amphetamine; 1945–1950.

Across languages

Translations

46 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: metamfetamien — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Arabic: ميثامفيتامين — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Armenian: մեթամֆետամին (metʻamfetamin) — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Azerbaijani: metamfetamin — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Azerbaijani: patı — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Catalan: metamfetamina — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Chinese Mandarin: 甲基苯丙胺 (jiǎjī běnbǐng'àn) — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Chinese Mandarin: 甲基安非他命 (jiǎjī'ānfēitāmìng) — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Chinese Mandarin: 冰毒 (bīngdú) — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Czech: pervitin — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Czech: metamfetamin — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Dutch: methamfetamine — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Estonian: metamfetamiin — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Finnish: metamfetamiini — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • French: méthamphétamine — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • German: Methamphetamin — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Greek: μεθαμφεταμίνη (methamfetamíni) — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Hebrew: מתאמפטמין — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Hungarian: metamfetamin — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Icelandic: metamfetamín — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Indonesian: metamfetamin — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Indonesian: shabu — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Indonesian: shabu-shabu — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Indonesian: syabu — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Indonesian: syabu-syabu — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Italian: metanfetamina — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Japanese: メタンフェタミン (metanfetamin) — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Japanese: ヒロポン (hiropon) — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Korean: 메스암페타민 (meseuampetamin) — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Korean: 히로뽕 (hiroppong) — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Malay: syabu — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Māori: tioata whakaihi — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Māori: pōau-pī — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Persian: متآمفتامین — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Polish: metamfetamina — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Portuguese: metanfetamina — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Romanian: metanfetamină — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Russian: метамфетами́н (metamfetamín) — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Spanish: metanfetamina — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Swedish: metamfetamin — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Tagalog: shabu — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Tagalog: bato — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Thai: เมทเอมเฟตามีน (méet-eem-fee-taa-miin) — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Thai: ไอซ์ (aís) — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Turkish: metamfetamin — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
  • Zhuang: gyazgihbwnjbingjanh — the drug (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine