antimetabolite
Biochemistry. any substance that interferes with growth of an organism by competing with or substituting for an essential nutrient in an enzymatic process.
Pharmacology. of or relating to certain substances used to prevent or reduce the proliferation of cells, especially cancer cells, by interfering with normal metabolic activity.
Origin of antimetabolite
1- Also an·ti·met·a·bol·ic [an-tee-met-uh-bol-ik, an-tahy-]. /ˌæn tiˌmɛt əˈbɒl ɪk, ˌæn taɪ-/.
Words Nearby antimetabolite
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for antimetabolite
/ (ˌæntɪmɪˈtæbəˌlaɪt) /
any drug that acts by disrupting the normal growth of a cell. Sulfonamide drugs are antimetabolites and some antimetabolites are used in cancer treatment
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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