acetaminophen

[ uh-see-tuh-min-uh-fuhn, as-i-tuh- ]

noun

, Pharmacology.

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

acetaminophen

/ ə-sē′tə-mĭn′ə-fən,ăs′ə- /

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

I brought acetaminophen, because I know I get headaches when I’m hungry, and ibuprofen for muscle strains.

From Washington Post

The liver also processes a large number of pharmaceutical drugs, such as acetaminophen.

From Popular-Science

When I went under the knife, I had to make do with acetaminophen, which just isn’t suitable for durable pain relief—and does nothing for the inflammation that follows surgically injured tissue.

From Fortune

One was denied, in part because he’d already been to the doctor, and the denial noted he’d received acetaminophen pain medication.

From ProPublica

New London Pharmacy said one of its regular distributors stopped shipping Percocet, a combination of oxycodone and acetaminophen.

From Fortune

More compellingly, the more and the earlier Mom took acetaminophen, the stronger the association.

From The Daily Beast

Now that a Danish study has associated maternal use of acetaminophen with ADHD, mothers are likely to panic.

From The Daily Beast