paclitaxel

noun

pac·​li·​tax·​el ˌpa-kli-ˈtak-sᵊl How to pronounce paclitaxel (audio)
: an antineoplastic drug C47H51NO14 originally derived from the bark of the Pacific yew but now typically derived as a semisynthetic product of the English yew and used to treat ovarian cancer

Examples of paclitaxel 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.
Sure enough, this oral paclitaxel performed well – even better than a standard IV dose. — Michael Irving, New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2024 Carboplatin in particular — in combination with the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel — has remained unchallenged as the go-to for ovarian cancer, in particular when the treatment could be curative, rather than palliative. — Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 16 Aug. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Pacific yew + -litax- (perhaps from Taxus brevifolia) + -el (alteration of -ol entry 1 or -ol entry 3)

First Known Use

1992, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of paclitaxel was in 1992

Rhymes for paclitaxel

See All Rhymes for paclitaxel

Browse Nearby Words

paclitaxel
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Paclitaxel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paclitaxel. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Medical Definition

paclitaxel

noun
pac·​li·​tax·​el ˌpak-li-ˈtak-səl How to pronounce paclitaxel (audio)
: an antineoplastic agent C47H51NO14 that was originally derived from the bark of a yew tree (Taxus brevifolia of the family Taxaceae) of the western United States and British Columbia but that is now typically derived as a semisynthetic product of the English yew (T. baccata) and is used to treat ovarian cancer which has not responded to conventional chemotherapy see taxol
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

13 Unusually Long English Words

9 Superb Owl Words

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

13 Unusually Long English Words

9 Superb Owl Words
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
number-twelve-balloon
12-Letter Words Quiz A dozen words, a dozen letters each.
See All