antimitotic: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical/Scientific/Medical
Quick answer
What does “antimitotic” mean?
Acting against or inhibiting the process of cell division (mitosis).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Acting against or inhibiting the process of cell division (mitosis).
In biology and medicine, referring to substances or drugs designed to prevent the multiplication of cells, especially cancer cells, by disrupting the mitotic spindle or other parts of the cell division machinery.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is consistent.
Connotations
Identical; carries strong connotations of medical treatment, cytotoxicity, and cancer research.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency and highly specialised in both varieties, confined to medical, pharmacological, and biological contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “antimitotic” in a Sentence
[adjective] + noun (e.g., antimitotic drug)verb + [adjective] (e.g., exhibits antimitotic)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “antimitotic” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- Paclitaxel is a well-known antimitotic agent used in breast cancer chemotherapy.
- The research team screened the library for compounds with antimitotic properties.
American English
- The new drug candidate demonstrated potent antimitotic activity in vitro.
- Vincristine's primary mechanism is its antimitotic effect on dividing cells.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Extremely rare. May appear in pharmaceutical company reports or investor materials regarding drug pipelines.
Academic
Core term in cell biology, pharmacology, and oncology research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Standard, precise term in medical and laboratory settings to describe a class of chemotherapeutic agents like vinca alkaloids or taxanes.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “antimitotic”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “antimitotic”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “antimitotic”
- Using it as a noun for a patient (e.g., 'He is an antimitotic' is wrong).
- Confusing it with 'antibiotic'.
- Misspelling as 'antimitotic' or 'anti-mitotic' (though hyphenated form is sometimes seen).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Antimitotic' describes a specific mechanism of action (inhibiting cell division). Chemotherapy is a broader treatment category that includes antimitotic drugs, among others.
Rarely and informally in technical jargon (e.g., 'test the antimitotics'). Standard usage is as an adjective modifying 'agent', 'drug', or 'activity'.
Primarily, yes, due to their action on rapidly dividing cells. However, they may have research applications in other areas involving uncontrolled cell growth.
Hair loss (alopecia). Hair follicle cells divide rapidly, so they are also affected by drugs designed to target rapidly dividing cancer cells.
Acting against or inhibiting the process of cell division (mitosis).
Antimitotic is usually technical/scientific/medical in register.
Antimitotic: in British English it is pronounced /ˌantɪmʌɪˈtɒtɪk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌæntimaɪˈtɑːtɪk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: ANTI-MITOSIS. 'Anti' means against, 'mitotic' refers to cell division. So, it works AGAINST cell division.
Conceptual Metaphor
CELL DIVISION AS AN ENEMY TO BE STOPPED. The agent is a 'weapon' (drug) that sabotages the enemy's (cancer's) replication machinery.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'antimitotic' most appropriately used?