minoxidil

American  

[mi-nok-si-dil] / mɪˈnɒk sɪˌdɪl /

noun

Pharmacology.

1. a potent peripheral vasodilator, C 23 H 27 N, used in the treatment of severe hypertension, also applied topically to promote hair growth in some types of baldness.

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Etymology

Origin of minoxidil

(a)min(o)- + oxy- ² + ( piper)idi(ny)l, a chemical component; see piperidine, -yl

Example Sentences

Minoxidil was initially approved for hypertension in 1979, and the company took it back to the FDA in the 1980s once it was clear it produced hair growth, and marketed it as Rogaine.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 25, 2026

Minoxidil, originally a blood pressure medication, has hair growth as a side effect and is commonly sold in the form of a daily cream applied directly to the hair and scalp.

From BBC • Oct. 31, 2025

Minoxidil works by widening blood vessels and increasing blood flow around hair follicles, which can extend the growth phase of the hair cycle and stimulate new strands to develop.

From Science Daily • Oct. 10, 2025

Minoxidil, the active ingredient in Rogaine, a lotion or foam that is rubbed on the scalp, was first approved for men in 1988, then women in 1992, and it is now generic.

From New York Times • Aug. 18, 2022

But the hair becomes very dependent upon the Minoxidil.

From Time Magazine Archive