Standard Lemma guide

prodrug

adj · 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.

  • UK: /pɹəʊˈdɹʌɡ/
  • US: /pɹoʊˈdɹʌɡ/
  • UK: /ˈpɹəʊ.dɹʌɡ/
  • US: /ˈpɹoʊ.dɹʌɡ/

1

adj

Meaning 1

In favour of recreational drugs.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A drug that is administered in an inactive form that is metabolised in the body into a biologically active compound.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: medicine, pharmacology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From pro- (“favouring”) + drug.

From pro- (“substitute for”) + drug.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 前體藥物 /前体药物 (qiántǐ yàowù) — drug that is administered in an inactive form that is metabolised in the body into a biologically active compound
  • Chinese Mandarin: 前藥 /前药 (qiányào) — drug that is administered in an inactive form that is metabolised in the body into a biologically active compound
  • Chinese Mandarin: 前驅藥 /前驱药 (qiánqūyào) — drug that is administered in an inactive form that is metabolised in the body into a biologically active compound
  • Hungarian: prodrug — drug that is administered in an inactive form that is metabolised in the body into a biologically active compound
  • Hungarian: előanyag — drug that is administered in an inactive form that is metabolised in the body into a biologically active compound
  • Hungarian: gyógyszer-előanyag — drug that is administered in an inactive form that is metabolised in the body into a biologically active compound
  • Hungarian: előgyógyszer — drug that is administered in an inactive form that is metabolised in the body into a biologically active compound
  • Hungarian: prodrog — drug that is administered in an inactive form that is metabolised in the body into a biologically active compound
  • Italian: profarmaco — drug that is administered in an inactive form that is metabolised in the body into a biologically active compound
  • Japanese: プロドラッグ (purodoraggu) — drug that is administered in an inactive form that is metabolised in the body into a biologically active compound
  • Korean: 프로드러그 (peurodeureogeu) — drug that is administered in an inactive form that is metabolised in the body into a biologically active compound