anti-inflammatory
Americanadjective
noun
-
anti-inflammatories
plural
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of anti-inflammatory
First recorded in 1955–60
Explanation
An anti-inflammatory is an anti-inflammatory drug: a type of medicine that treats swelling and redness. Inflammation originally meant to be consumed by flames, and these days it usually means a type of soreness somewhere on your body that is red, feels hot, and and swells up. The anti prefix tells you that this word goes against the root, and anti-inflammatories are drugs that treat or fight against inflammation. If you have a red, swollen ankle, an anti-inflammatory might help.
Vocabulary lists containing anti-inflammatory
Power Prefix: Anti
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: ant-, anti-
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Roots: ant, anti
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The cultivated Spirulina also contained other bioactive compounds associated with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting properties.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 30, 2026
Curcumin, the natural compound responsible for turmeric's vivid yellow color, is widely studied for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026
For every trending supplement, there is an unprocessed, wholefood alternative – from the anti-inflammatory benefits of turmeric, staving off cramp with pickle juice or consumption of high-nitrate foods like beetroot before competition.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
“But they’re antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory and are cooling,” he says of some herbs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
“Ponya seeds are anti-inflammatory, disinfecting, and, incidentally, an excellent source of protein. Here.”
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
Steel, in the U.K., said he’s coming to this year’s race stocked with anti-inflammatories, ibuprofen and sunscreen to stay safe on the course.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
He needed the pills, although it was unclear whether he was referring to painkillers, anti-inflammatories or both.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2025
Daily tasks include reminding me to take anti-inflammatories, to alerting me to oncoming Tietze attacks and fainting episodes.
From BBC ● Dec. 2, 2023
It’s also resistant to most treatments, such as anti-inflammatories.
From National Geographic ● Dec. 1, 2023
How she’s been popping anti-inflammatories and rolling her foot on a bottle of water to ease the agony in her arch.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
