fluorouracil

English

Chemical structure of fluorouracil

Etymology

From fluoro- +‎ uracil.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌflʊə.ɹə(ʊ)ˈjʊə.ɹə.sɪl/, /ˌflɔː.ɹə(ʊ)ˈjʊə.ɹə.sɪl/, /ˌflɔː.ɹə(ʊ)ˈjɔː.ɹə.sɪl/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌflʊɹ.oʊˈjʊɹ.əˌsɪl/

Noun

fluorouracil (countable and uncountable, plural fluorouracils)

1. (pharmacology) A fluorine-substituted derivative of uracil C₄H₃FN₂O₂ which inhibits DNA synthesis and is used as a chemotherapy drug in the treatment of cancer.

References

• “fluorouracil”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “fluorouracil”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.