Definition

A medication taken by mouth to help prevent bone loss in women after menopause.

Example

The doctor prescribed raloxifene to help strengthen her bones.

Conversation

Have you heard about raloxifene?

Yeah, I read it's used to help with osteoporosis.

Exactly! It's supposed to be especially helpful for women after menopause.

That sounds interesting; I should look into it for my mom.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Raloxifene is a synthetic compound, and its name is derived from the combination of 'ral-' (a prefix used in the naming of certain pharmaceuticals) and 'oxifene' (which includes 'ox' indicating the presence of oxygen and 'fene' derived from 'phenol', a type of organic compound). The name does not have traditional roots in Latin or Greek but is constructed for pharmaceutical nomenclature.

Memory Tip

Think of 'ral-' as a specific prefix used in medicine, and 'oxifene' suggesting a compound related to oxygen and phenol. This helps you remember that raloxifene is a specialized medication.

Visually Confused Words