Standard Lemma guide

minoxidil

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.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /mɪˈnɒk.sɪd.ɪl/
  • General-American: /məˈnɑk.səˌdɪl/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: M IH0 N AA1 K S IH0 D IH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A compound used orally as a vasodilator to treat hypertension and topically to reverse baldness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Topics: medicine, pharmacology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a vasodilator (trade name Loniten) used to treat severe hypertension; one side effect is hirsutism so it is also sold (trade name Rogaine) as a treatment for male-patterned baldness

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Loniten, Rogaine

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: vasodilator, vasodilative

History

Etymology

Etymology tree 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 Ancient Greek -ο- (-o-)der. Latin -o-bor. English -o- English amino- English (a)mino Proto-Indo-European *h2eḱ-der.? Ancient Greek ὀξύς (oxús) Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh1- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh1os Proto-Hellenic *génos Ancient Greek γένος (génos) French oxygène Proto-Indo-European *h2eḱ- Proto-Indo-European *-éh1ti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éh1yeti Proto-Indo-European *h2eḱéh1yeti Proto-Italic *akēō Latin aceō Proto-Indo-European *dheh1-der. Proto-Italic *-iðos Latin -idus Latin acidusbor. French acide blend French oxidebor. English oxid(e) English -dil English minoxidil From (a)mino + oxid(e) + -dil (“vasodilator”).

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 米諾地爾 /米诺地尔 (mǐnuòdì'ěr) — compound
  • Finnish: minoksidiili — compound
  • Portuguese: minoxidil — compound