laetrile

noun

la·​e·​trile ˈlā-ə-(ˌ)tril How to pronounce laetrile (audio)
-trəl
often capitalized
: a drug derived especially from apricot pits that contains amygdalin and has been used in the treatment of cancer although of unproved effectiveness

Examples of laetrile in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This is not the first time Jason Vale has been accused of selling laetrile, another name for amygdalin. — Corky Siemaszko, NBC News, 23 Oct. 2019 The apricot kernels themselves don't have cyanide in them, but upon digestion the body converts a compound called laetrile into the poison. — Ben Panko, Smithsonian, 13 Sep. 2017

Word History

Etymology

laevorotary (levorotary) + nitrile

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of laetrile was in 1953

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“Laetrile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laetrile. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

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Medical Definition

laetrile

noun
la·​e·​trile ˈlā-ə-(ˌ)tril, -trəl How to pronounce laetrile (audio)
often capitalized
: a drug that is derived especially from pits of the apricot (Prunus armeniaca of the rose family), that contains amygdalin, and that has been used in the treatment of cancer although of unproved effectiveness
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