metoclopramide: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low (Specialist/Technical)Medical/Clinical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “metoclopramide” mean?
A pharmaceutical drug used to treat nausea, vomiting, and to aid gastric emptying.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A pharmaceutical drug used to treat nausea, vomiting, and to aid gastric emptying.
A dopamine antagonist and prokinetic agent prescribed for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastroparesis, and as an antiemetic to prevent or relieve chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or usage differences. The same drug is prescribed under the same name in both regions.
Connotations
Purely technical and clinical. No regional connotations.
Frequency
Identical, extremely low-frequency outside of medical and pharmacy contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “metoclopramide” in a Sentence
The doctor prescribed metoclopramide for the nausea.Metoclopramide is administered to stimulate gastric motility.The patient was given metoclopramide intravenously.Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Might appear in pharmaceutical industry reports or financial news related to drug manufacturers.
Academic
Used in medical, pharmacology, and clinical research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation. A patient might say 'my nausea medication'.
Technical
The primary domain of use. Appears in medical prescriptions, patient notes, pharmacology manuals, and clinical guidelines.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “metoclopramide”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “metoclopramide”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “metoclopramide”
- Misspelling: 'metoclopromide', 'metaclopramide'.
- Mispronunciation: stressing the first syllable ('MET-o-clo...') instead of the third ('...CLO...').
- Using it as a general term for any nausea medicine.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is primarily used to treat nausea and vomiting, and to help speed up the movement of food through the stomach in conditions like gastroparesis.
In most countries, including the UK and US, metoclopramide is a prescription-only medication due to its potential side effects.
Serious side effects can include involuntary muscle movements (tardive dyskinesia), neurological effects like restlessness, and it should not be used long-term due to increased risk.
Common brand names include Reglan in the US and Maxolon in the UK, among others like Primperan.
A pharmaceutical drug used to treat nausea, vomiting, and to aid gastric emptying.
Metoclopramide is usually medical/clinical/scientific in register.
Metoclopramide: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmɛtəʊˈklɒprəmaɪd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmɛtəˈkloʊprəmaɪd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
To remember 'metoclopramide': Think of 'METO' (for the stomach or meta), 'CLO' (close to closing the pylorus? No), and 'PRAMIDE' (sounds like 'promote inside' – it promotes movement inside the gut).
Conceptual Metaphor
N/A. The term is a technical label with no conventional metaphorical mapping in everyday language.
Practice
Quiz
Metoclopramide is primarily used to treat which of the following?