Metformin

//mɛtˈfɔː.mɪn// noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A biguanide derivative, C₄H₁₁N₅, used, now chiefly as the hydrochloride, as an oral hypoglycemic agent in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus; 1,1-dimethylbiguanide. countable, uncountable
  2. 2
    an antidiabetic drug (trade name Glucophage) prescribed to treat type II diabetes wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
glucophage

Example

More examples

"Both sulforaphane and metformin reduce glucose production by the liver, through a mechanism the body uses to ensure it has enough fuel during periods of fasting, like overnight. In diabetics who are also overweight, Rosengren said, the liver's glucose production function is not sensitive to the body's needs, and the liver dumps too much glucose into the bloodstream, causing unhealthy spikes in blood sugar levels."

Etymology

From meth- + -formin (“phenformin derivative”).

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.