prozac: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Yes, essentially. Prozac is the original brand name for the drug whose generic, chemical name is fluoxetine hydrochloride.

In informal, non-technical contexts, it is often seen lowercase, especially in metaphorical use (e.g., 'cultural prozac'). In formal medical writing, the capitalized trademark 'Prozac' or the generic 'fluoxetine' is preferred.

It was one of the first widely prescribed and heavily marketed SSRIs in the late 1980s and 1990s. It became a symbol of a new era in psychiatry and was central to public debates about happiness, identity, and pharmaceutical interventions, popularised by books like 'Listening to Prozac' and 'Prozac Nation'.

It can be reductive or insensitive, as it trivialises clinical depression and its treatment. Context matters. Using it flippantly (e.g., 'This rainy weather needs a Prozac') is often considered poor taste. In serious cultural or sociological analysis, it may be acceptable.

The proprietary brand name for the antidepressant drug fluoxetine hydrochloride, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI).

Prozac is usually predominantly informal, except in medical contexts. common in journalism, everyday conversation, and cultural commentary. in register.

Prozac: in British English it is pronounced /ˈprəʊ.zæk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈproʊ.zæk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.