Definition

A type of anesthetic gas that was used in the past for surgery but is not commonly used anymore due to harmful effects on the kidneys.

Example

Methoxyflurane was once a popular choice for anesthesia during surgeries.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of methoxyflurane?

Yeah, I read it was used as an anesthetic a long time ago.

Right, but it's mostly abandoned now because of kidney issues.

That makes sense; safety is definitely a priority in medicine.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Methoxyflurane is formed from "methoxy" (from the prefix "meth-" meaning one carbon atom and "oxy" meaning oxygen) and "flurane" (from the root "fluor" meaning fluorine and the suffix "-ane" indicating a saturated hydrocarbon). The word refers to a compound that contains a methoxy group and fluorine, used as an anesthetic.

Memory Tip

Think of 'meth-' for one carbon and 'oxy' for oxygen, combined with 'fluor' for fluorine, to remember that methoxyflurane is a compound containing these elements.

Visually Confused Words