amphetamine

American  

[am-fet-uh-meen, -min] / æmˈfɛt əˌmin, -mɪn /

noun

Pharmacology.

• amphetamines
  plural

1. a racemic drug, C 9 H 13 N, that stimulates the central nervous system: used chiefly to lift the mood in depressive states and to control the appetite in cases of obesity.

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amphetamine British  

/ æmˈfɛtəˌmiːn, -mɪn /

noun

1. a synthetic colourless volatile liquid used medicinally as the white crystalline sulphate, mainly for its stimulant action on the central nervous system, although it also stimulates the sympathetic nervous system. It can have unpleasant or dangerous side effects and drug dependence can occur; 1-phenyl-2-aminopropane. Formula: C 6 H 5 CH 2 CH(NH 2 )CH 3

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amphetamine Scientific  

/ ăm-fĕt′ə-mēn′ /

1. Any of a group of drugs that stimulate the central nervous system, resulting in elevated blood pressure, heart rate, and other metabolic functions. Amphetamines are used in the treatment of certain neurological conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. The drugs are highly addictive and are sometimes abused.

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amphetamine Cultural  

1. A drug that stimulates the central nervous system and is used to treat certain conditions, such as attention deficit disorder, depression, and narcolepsy.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• amphetamines
  plural

Etymology

Origin of amphetamine

First recorded in 1935–40; a(lpha) + m(ethyl) + ph(enyl) + et(hyl) + amine

Compare meaning

How does amphetamine compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• amphetamine vs. dextroamphetamine

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

amphetamine amphetamines

Scientists noted, too, that amphetamine bore a chemical resemblance to dopamine, adding further weight to the connection between dopamine and schizophrenia.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

The songs of The Pogues are what happens when rural folk songs are hit over the head by the amphetamine punk spirit of 70s London.

From BBC ● Nov. 30, 2023

Similarly, methylphenidate, which is FDA-approved to treat narcolepsy, can also reduce amphetamine use.

From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2023

The U.S. is suffering a shortage of amphetamine mixed salts, an active ingredient used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy, warned the Food and Drug Administration.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 14, 2022

“You’d have to eat an awful lot of cicadas to have some effect from the amphetamine that’s in there,” agrees Chris Simon, a phylogeneticist at the University of Connecticut.

From Scientific American ● May 27, 2021

Scheeler favors a tiered system of penalties in racing, similar to Major League Baseball having different penalties for use of steroids and amphetamines.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 2, 2021

And so someone with dementia would not be treated with amphetamines to get them more alert.

From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2020

In the report, the medical examiner determined via toxicology that Rivera had a small amount of prescribed amphetamines in her system, but did not identify physical conditions or drugs as factors in her death.

From Fox News ● Sep. 11, 2020

Since testing for steroids began in 2003 and amphetamines were banned three years later, the productivity and durability of players over 30 have sharply declined.

From New York Times ● Mar. 31, 2018

Kids have natural amphetamines running through their veins, not to mention disposable income, which makes them the perfect music festival patrons.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 30, 2015

Related Words

• stimulant