Dictionary

fentanyl en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• [ˈfɛnʔ.nɑɫ] (US, nonstandard)
• (US) audio
• /ˈfɛn.tə.nɪl/
• [ˈfɛnʔ.nɪɫ] (also, sometimes)
• /ˈfɛn.tə.nɔl/ (US, nonstandard)
• /ˈfɛn.tə.nɑl/ (US, nonstandard)
• [ˈfɛnʔ.nɔɫ] (US, nonstandard)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- Proto-Indo-European *-né- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *bʰh₂nyéti Proto-Hellenic *pʰáňňō Ancient Greek φαίνω (phaínō)der. French phéno- Proto-Indo-European *swel-der.? Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)der. French -yle French phénylebor. English phenyl Proto-Indo-European *h₂eydʰ-der. Proto-Hellenic *áitʰō Ancient Greek αἴθω (aíthō) ▲ Ancient Greek ᾱ̓ήρ (āḗr)influ.? Ancient Greek αἰθήρ (aithḗr)der. Latin aethērbor. German Äther German Ether ▲ Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)der. German -yl German Ethylbor. English ethyl English phen(yle)th(yl) Proto-Indo-European *neyH-der.? Sanskrit नील॑ (nī́la)der. Middle Persian 𐭭𐭩𐭫 (nīl)bor. Arabic نِيل (nīl)der. Andalusian Arabicbor. Portuguese anil Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos Proto-Italic *-īnos Latin -īnusder. German -in German Anilinbor. English aniline Egyptian jmnbor. Ancient Greek Ᾰ̓́μμων (Ắmmōn)bor. Latin Ammōn Latin ammoniacusder. English ammonia Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-der. Proto-Italic *-iðos Latin -idusder. English -ide English amide English -(am)ide English anil(ide) English fentanyl From phen(yle)th(yl) + anil(ide).

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A synthetic opioid narcotic analgesic, C₂₂H₂₈N₂O, with pharmacological action similar to morphine that is administered transdermally as a skin patch and in the form of its citrate, C₂₂H₂₈N₂O·C₆H₈O₇, is administered orally or parenterally (as by intravenous or epidural injection); N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)piperidin-4-yl]propanamide.
   • But US drug enforcement officials noted in a May report that fentanyl primarily enters the US through Chinese producers and Mexican criminal organizations, while cocaine mainly comes from Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. 2025 December 11, Joseph Gedeon, “US lawmakers condemn seizure of Venezuelan oil tanker: ‘Trump is sleepwalking us into a war’”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
   • Including, he warns, ketamine and even fentanyl. The crime syndicates have the capacity, he says, and a worldwide distribution network already in place. 2019 July 4, Michael Sullivan, “In Myanmar, Methamphetamine, Synthetic Drug Production Soars”, in NPR, archived from the original on 06 Jul 2019:
   • Approved name ! Other names ! Action and use Fentanyl .. ! 1-Phenethyl-f-(N-propionylanilino)-piperidine ! Narcotic; analgesic 1963 November 23, British Pharmacopoeia Commission, “Approved names”, in British Medical Journal, page 1327:
   • Lil Peep died of an overdose of fentanyl and generic Xanax, according to the Pima Country Office of the Medical Examiner. 2017 December 8, Kory Grow, “Lil Peep Cause of Death Revealed”, in Rolling Stone, archived from the original on 13 Jul 2018:
   • Fentanyl represents the latest wave of a rolling drug epidemic that has been fueled by prescription painkillers, as addicts continue to seek higher highs and cheaper fixes. “It started out as an opioid epidemic, then heroin, but now it’s a fentanyl epidemic,” Maura Healey, the attorney general of Massachusetts, said in an interview. 2016 March 25, Katharine Q. Seelye, “Heroin Epidemic Is Yielding to a Deadlier Cousin: Fentanyl”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 09 Aug 2021:
   • Coolio, the gritty rapper best known for his hit “Gangsta’s Paradise,” died from the effects of fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner. 2023 April 6, McKenna Oxenden, “Fentanyl Contributed to Coolio’s Death, Medical Examiner Says”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 14 Apr 2023:

Forms

Deriveds

fetty · fentalog · fent · thiofentanyl · fentanyl fold · fentanyl citrate · -fentanil

Translations (17)

sv fentanyl (painkiller) · pl fentanyl (painkiller) · fi fentanyyli (painkiller) · es fentanilo (painkiller) · cmn 芬太尼 (painkiller) · de Fentanyl (painkiller) · bg фентани́л (painkiller) · it fentanile (painkiller) · fr fentanyl (painkiller) · uk фентані́л (painkiller) · ru фентани́л (painkiller) · kk фентанил (painkiller) · ja フェンタニル (painkiller) · km ហ្វេនតានីល (painkiller) · kmr fentanîl (painkiller) · tr fentanil (painkiller) · el φαιντανύλη (painkiller)