Standard Lemma guide

methotrexate

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: /ˌmɛθ.əˈtɹɛk.seɪt/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌmiː.θəˈtɹɛk.seɪt/
  • General-American: /ˌmɛθ.əˈtɹɛkˌseɪt/
  • CMU ARPABET: M EH2 TH OW0 T R EH1 K S EY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An antimetabolite and antifolate drug used in treatment of cancer, autoimmune diseases, and ectopic pregnancies.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: medicine, pharmacology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: amethopterin

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

toxic antimetabolite that limits cellular reproduction by acting as an antagonist to folic acid; used to treat certain cancers and psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: methotrexate sodium, amethopterin

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: antimetabolite, immunosuppressant, immunosuppressor, immunosuppressive drug, immunosuppressive, immune suppressant drug

History

Etymology

Probably from metho- + tre- (“alteration of pteridine”) + (carbo)x(yl)ate.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: méthotrexate — antimetabolite and antifolate drug
  • German: Methotrexat — antimetabolite and antifolate drug
  • Hungarian: metotrexát — antimetabolite and antifolate drug
  • Italian: metotrexato — antimetabolite and antifolate drug
  • Kazakh: метотрексат (metotreksat) — antimetabolite and antifolate drug
  • Spanish: metotrexato — antimetabolite and antifolate drug