acetaminophen

[uh-see-tuh-min-uh-fuhn]

noun

Pharmacology.

1. a crystalline substance, C 8 H 9 NO 2 , used as a headache and pain reliever and to reduce fever.

acetaminophen

1. A crystalline compound used in medicine to relieve pain and reduce fever. Chemical formula: C ₈ H ₉ NO ₂.

Word History and Origins

Origin of acetaminophen¹

First recorded in 1955–60; acet- + amino- + phen(ol)

Example Sentences

Kennedy said the FDA would move to update the label for acetaminophen and conduct an awareness campaign about the potential link to autism.

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He also linked taking acetaminophen, the key ingredient in Tylenol, during pregnancy to an increased risk of autism.

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WASHINGTON—Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s team had decided by the beginning of September to tell Americans that acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, was a possible cause of autism.

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The discussion focused on science and safety, with Strassman noting that acetaminophen is generally safe in normal doses and that overuse, not the drug itself, poses risk.

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Food and Drug Administrator Dr. Marty Makary sent to physicians this week made clear that “a causal relationship” between autism and acetaminophen “has not been established and there are contrary studies in the scientific literature.”

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