acetaminophen

acet·amin·o·phen | \ ə-ˌsē-tə-ˈmi-nə-fən

, ˌa-sə-tə-\

Definition of acetaminophen

: a crystalline compound C₈H₉NO₂ that is a hydroxy derivative of acetanilide and is used in chemical synthesis and in medicine to relieve pain and fever

Examples of acetaminophen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For instance, treatment for a fever or headache might include over-the-counter pain medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aspirin, and acetaminophen, Dr. Otsu says. — Amy Marturana, SELF, "8 Bronchitis Symptoms Everyone Should Know," 28 Dec. 2018 Zink gives nearly all her patients a handout that explains that taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen -- both over-the-counter drugs -- is often more effective than taking oxycodone, an opioid. — Anchorage Daily News, "A pain clinic without opioids? Believe it.," 10 Sep. 2019 Staying away from acetaminophen products while imbibing is quite important, so try to go for aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen to punch your headache. — Danielle Guercio, chicagotribune.com, "5 simple ways marijuana can help you smash a hangover," 26 Aug. 2019 Doctors may recommend acetaminophen or other over-the-counter drugs to relieve fever and muscle aches, along with lots of rest and plenty of water or other fluids. — Amanda Macmillan, Health.com, "So There's a Measles Outbreak Near You. How Worried Should You Be?," 5 Sep. 2019 The pain relievers people rely on — aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen — were invented generations ago and aren’t always effective for severe pain. — Jonathan Saltzman, BostonGlobe.com, "Vertex sets its sights on taming pain," 11 Aug. 2019 Brummett said that despite research showing a combination of acetaminophen and ibuprofen is better for treating pain, dentists are still prescribing too many opioids. — CBS News, "Wisdom teeth removal is contributing to the opioid crisis, experts warn," 21 Aug. 2019 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 65% of pregnant women in the United States use acetaminophen while pregnant. — Amanda Macmillan, Time, "New Study Links Pregnant Women Taking Acetaminophen with Language Delays in Baby Girls," 10 Jan. 2018 Aspirin, just like acetaminophen and ibuprofen, is fine for short-term use for aches and pains, Dr. Yang said. — Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, "Should you take a daily aspirin or not? What doctors are saying," 23 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'acetaminophen.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for acetaminophen

acet(yl) + amino + phen(ol)

Note: Shortened from N-acetyl-p-aminophenol. Acetaminophen was introduced as a generic name roughly coincident with the introduction of the trademark preparation Tylenol, which was first marketed as "Children's Tylenol Elixir" in 1955 by McNeil Laboratories. Synthesis of the substance, as acetylamidophenol, was first reported in Berichte der Deutschen Chemischen Gesellschaft, 11. Jahrgang (Jan.-Juni, 1878), p. 232-33 (H. N. Morse, "Ueber eine neue Darstellungsmethode der Acetylamidophenole"). Its antipyretic properties were recognized by the German physician Josef von Mering in the 1893 article "Beiträge zur Kenntniss der Antipyretica" (Therapeutische Monatshefte, 7, pp. 577-87)—he also refers to it as acetylamidophenol.

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Last Updated

10 Oct 2019

Time Traveler for acetaminophen

The first known use of acetaminophen was in 1958

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More Definitions for acetaminophen

acetaminophen

noun

English Language Learners Definition of acetaminophen

US : a medicine that is used to relieve pain and fever

See the full definition for acetaminophen in the English Language Learners Dictionary

acetaminophen

noun

acet·amin·o·phen | \ ə-ˌsēt-ə-ˈmin-ə-fən

, ˌas-ət-

Medical Definition of acetaminophen

: a crystalline compound C₈H₉NO₂ that is a hydroxy derivative of acetanilide and is used in chemical synthesis and in medicine instead of aspirin to relieve pain and fever

— called also paracetamol

— see liquiprin, panadol, tylenol