doxorubicin

D2O1X8O1R1U1B3I1C3I1N1
UK/ˌdɒk.səʊˈɹuː.bɪs.ɪn/US/ˌdɑk.səˈɹu.bɪs.ɪn/

noun

An anthracycline antibiotic drug (trademark Adriamycin) with broad antineoplastic activity that is obtained from a bacterium (Streptomyces peucetius subsp. caesius) and is administered in the form of its hydrochloride C₂₇H₂₉NO₁₁·HCl in chemotherapy.

OriginEnglish hydroxy- ← Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē) ← Proto-Indo-European *swel-der.? →
Less commonScrabble 23
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Meanings

noundoxorubicin (countable and uncountable, plural doxorubicins)

plural doxorubicins · alternative adriablastin · alternative hydroxydaunorubicin

  1. countableuncountablemedicineAn anthracycline antibiotic drug (trademark Adriamycin) with broad antineoplastic activity that is obtained from a bacterium (Streptomyces peucetius subsp. caesius) and is administered in the form of its hydrochloride C₂₇H₂₉NO₁₁·HCl in chemotherapy.

    A nanobullet comprising of multifunctional Janus nanocomposites (a head of magnetic Fe₃O₄ and a body of mesoporous SiO₂ containing doxorubicin) is reported to be a safe and efficient treatment for liver cancer.

    2020 September 11, Dr. Priyom Bose, Ph.D, “What are the Recent Applications of Nanobullets?”, in AZO Nano

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
adriablastinadriamycin

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*wed-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*wódr̥
  3. Proto-Hellenic*údōr
  4. Ancient Greekῡ̆̔́δωρ (hū̆́dōr)
  5. Ancient Greekὑδρο- (hudro-)
  6. Frenchhydro-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*ǵenh₁-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*ǵénh₁os
  9. Proto-Hellenic*génos
  10. Ancient Greekγένος (génos)
  11. Frenchhydrogène
  12. Englishhydrogen
  13. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eḱ-der.?
  14. Ancient Greekὀξύς (oxús)
  15. Ancient Greekγένος (génos)
  16. Frenchoxygène
  17. Englishoxygen
  18. Proto-Indo-European*swel-der.?
  19. Ancient Greekῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)
  20. Englishhydroxyl
  21. Englishhydroxy-
  22. Englishdoxorubicin

Blend of (hy)d(r)ox(y)- (“functional group”) + -o- + -rubicin (“daunorubicin derivative”).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

doxorubicin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/doxorubicin

MLA

“doxorubicin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/doxorubicin. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “doxorubicin,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/doxorubicin.

Source: doxorubicin on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.