thimerosal

noun

thi·​mer·​o·​sal thī-ˈmer-ə-ˌsal How to pronounce thimerosal (audio)
: a crystalline organic mercurial antiseptic C9H9HgNaO2S used especially for its antifungal and bacteriostatic properties

Examples of thimerosal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The form of mercury in thimerosal, ethylmercury, is easily filtered out by the body and is not linked to any health issues. Nate Trela, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 Continued research has not established a link between thimerosal and autism. Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2024 Scientists who have studied thimerosal have found no evidence that the additive, used to prevent germ growth, causes harm, according to a CDC FAQ about thimerosal. Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2024 Do these studies add up enough to indict thimerosal as a dangerous vaccine ingredient for a potentially vulnerable subset of the population? Keith Kloor, Discover Magazine, 20 July 2014 Numerous studies have failed to support a connection between thimerosal in vaccines and autism. Elizabeth A. Harris, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2023 Nonetheless, thimerosal is no longer used in childhood vaccines, but is still used as a preservative in other types of vaccines and medicines, such as ophthalmic solutions. Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2023 That said, because thimerosal is found only in multidose vials, it can easily be avoided by receiving a thimerosal-free single-dose flu vaccine. Anne P. Kim, The Conversation, 13 Nov. 2020 Since its founding in 2016, CHD has pushed the false idea that the mercury compound thimerosal makes vaccines unsafe, even though thimerosal had been largely phased out in 2001. Time, 5 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thimerosal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

probably from thi- + mercury + -o- + salicylate

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thimerosal was in 1949

Dictionary Entries Near thimerosal

Cite this Entry

“Thimerosal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thimerosal. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

thimerosal

noun
thi·​mer·​o·​sal thī-ˈmer-ə-ˌsal How to pronounce thimerosal (audio)
: a crystalline organic mercurial antiseptic C9H9HgNaO2S used especially for its antifungal and bacteriostatic properties see merthiolate

More from Merriam-Webster on thimerosal

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