methamphetamine
noun/ˌmɛθæmˈfɛtəˌmiːn/ · /ˌmɛθæmˈfɛtəˌmɪn/
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *médʰu Proto-Hellenic *métʰu Ancient Greek μέθυ (méthu) Proto-Indo-European *swel-der.? Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)der. German -yl German Methylbor. English methyl Ancient Greek -ο- (-o-)der. Latin -o-bor. English -o- English metho-der. English meth- Proto-Semitic *ʔalp- Phoenician 𐤀𐤋𐤐 (ʾlp)bor. Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha) Proto-Semitic *bayt- Phoenician 𐤁𐤕 (bt)bor. Ancient Greek βῆτᾰ (bêtă) Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Hellenic *-os Ancient Greek -ος (-os) Ancient Greek ἀλφάβητος (alphábētos) Byzantine Greek ἀλφάβητον (alphábēton)der. Classical Latin alphabētumbor. Middle English alphabete English alphabet English alpha- ▲ English methyl Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂-der. Proto-Hellenic *pʰáňňō Ancient Greek φαίνω (phaínō)der. ▲ Ancient Greek φαίνω (phaínō)der. French phéno- ▲ Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)der. French -yle French phénylebor. English phenyl ▲ English -o- English pheno- English phen- Proto-Indo-European *h₂eydʰ-der. Proto-Hellenic *áitʰō Ancient Greek αἴθω (aíthō) ▲ Ancient Greek ᾱ̓ήρ (āḗr)influ.? Ancient Greek αἰθήρ (aithḗr)der. Latin aethērbor. German Äther German Ether ▲ German -yl German Ethylbor. English ethyl Egyptian jmnbor. Ancient Greek Ᾰ̓́μμων (Ắmmōn)bor. Latin Ammōn Latin ammoniacusder. English ammonia Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos Proto-Italic *-īnos Latin -īnusder. Old French -inbor. Middle English -in English -ine English amine English -amine English ethylamine English phenethylamine English methylphenethylamine English alpha-methylphenethylamineder. English amphetamine English methamphetamine From meth- + amphetamine; 1945–1950.
A highly addictive phenethylamine stimulant drug. Its systematic (IUPAC) name is (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine.
- Near-synonyms: crystal meth, ice (formulation-specific nicknames); speed (also includes other similar drugs)
- Methamphetamine is more potent than dexamphetamine which is in turn more potent than its racemate amphetamine.1960, J[ohn] J[acob] Lewis, “Central Nervous System Stimulants”, in An Introduction to Pharmacology, Edinburgh; London: E[dward] & S[tuart] Livingstone Ltd., →OCLC, page 288:
1 more example
- A cloud of smoke from two pounds of methamphetamine seized by the FBI and incinerated inside a Montana animal shelter sent its workers to the hospital, city officials in Billings said.2025 September 12, “Meth burn by FBI smokes out Montana animal shelter”, in CNN, sourced from Associated Press, archived from the original on 10 Oct 2025:
- Synonyms
- chalk, crank, crystal, crystal meth, fire, glass, go fast, go-fast, gogo, ice, jib, meth, methamphetamine, methedrine, methylamphetamine, poor man's cocaine, quartz, shabu, shards, speed, T, tina, tweak
- Derived terms
- crystal methamphetamine, dimethoxymethamphetamine, levomethamphetamine, methamphetamine hydrochloride, methylenedioxymethamphetamine
- Hypernyms
- recreational drug
- Hyponyms
- methamphetamine hydrochloride