ritonavir

noun

ri·​to·​na·​vir ˌrī-ˈtō-nə-ˌvir 

-ˈtä-,

ri-

: an antiviral drug C₃₇H₄₈N₆O₅S₂ that is a protease inhibitor administered orally in conjunction with other agents to treat viral infections (such as HIV infection and hepatitis C)

Examples of ritonavir in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The enzyme ritonavir inhibits doesn’t just block the body’s metabolism of the coronavirus antiviral. —Rich Haridy, New Atlas, 18 Mar. 2025

However, the side effects from ritonavir were problematic. —Rich Haridy, New Atlas, 18 Mar. 2025

But more dangerous are the effects ritonavir has on other drugs a patient may be taking. —Rich Haridy, New Atlas, 18 Mar. 2025

Varda Space Industries’ craft was testing the possibility that microgravity could be an ideal environment for some kinds of manufacturing, in this case the AIDS drug ritonavir, although the company promotes a range of microgravity pharma manufacturing use cases. —IEEE Spectrum, 24 Oct. 2023

Word History

Etymology

rito- (perhaps by shortening & alteration from protease) + -navir (as in saquinavir)

First Known Use

1995, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ritonavir

• aver
• braver
• craver
• favor
• favour
• flavor
• flavour
• graver
• paver
• quaver
• raver
• saver

Medical Definition

ritonavir

noun

ri·​to·​na·​vir ˌrī-ˈtō-nə-ˌvir, -ˈtän-ə-, ri- 

: a protease inhibitor C₃₇H₄₈N₆O₅S₂ that is administered orally in conjunction with other agents (such as lopinavir or nirmatrelvir) to treat viral infections (such as HIV infection, hepatitis C, or COVID-19)

Note: Trademarks for preparations containing ritonavir include Norvir and Paxlovid.