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Glite Dictionary
mefenamic acid

mefenamic acid

5.9
A pain medicine that reduces mild to moderate pain, especially menstrual cramps
  • noun
  • /ˌmɛfəˈnæmɪk ˈæsɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ácido mefenámico
  • Doctors often prescribe mefenamic acid for menstrual pain.

Examples

  • The doctor prescribed mefenamic acid to help manage her menstrual pain.

  • You should take mefenamic acid with food to reduce stomach irritation.

  • Patients who are allergic to other NSAIDs should avoid taking mefenamic acid.

  • Have you ever taken mefenamic acid for cramps?

  • The doctor prescribed mefenamic acid to help manage her menstrual pain.

  • Patients who are allergic to other NSAIDs should avoid taking mefenamic acid.

  • It is important to take mefenamic acid with food to minimize stomach irritation.

Synonyms

Ponstel
vsmefenamic acid
  • Specialized
8.8

A medicine that reduces pain and swelling, often used for period pain

is the generic chemical name used in medicine rather than a brand

Surface Forms

mefenamic acid singular
mefenamic acids plural

Morphology

mefenamic + acid

The component 'mefenamic' is a specialized, non-lexicalized chemical name with no transparent meaning for learners, and 'acid' only signals a chemical class; knowing 'acid' does not allow a B1 learner to infer the medical/drug sense (an NSAID for menstrual pain). As a technical compound name functioning as a label rather than a compositional phrase, its meaning is not derivable from its parts.

Etymology

Mefenamic acid comes from joining two parts that describe the drug: me (a short form for a small chemical piece) and fenamic (the name of a family of similar medicines). So the name is simply the drug's label and refers to a 'pain reliever' often used for 'menstrual cramps'.