fluorouracil

F4L1U1O1R1O1U1R1A1C3I1L1
UK/ˌflʊə.ɹə(ʊ)ˈjʊə.ɹə.sɪl/UK/ˌflɔː.ɹə(ʊ)ˈjʊə.ɹə.sɪl/UK/ˌflɔː.ɹə(ʊ)ˈjɔː.ɹə.sɪl/US/ˌflʊɹ.oʊˈjʊɹ.əˌsɪl/

noun

A fluorine-substituted derivative of uracil C₄H₃FN₂O₂ which inhibits DNA synthesis and is used as a chemotherapy drug in the treatment of cancer.

OriginEnglish uracil ← Latin fluor ← Proto-Indo-European *bʰluH-yé-ti? →
Less commonScrabble 17
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Meanings

nounfluorouracil (countable and uncountable, plural fluorouracils)

plural fluorouracils

  1. countableuncountablemedicineA fluorine-substituted derivative of uracil C₄H₃FN₂O₂ which inhibits DNA synthesis and is used as a chemotherapy drug in the treatment of cancer.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰel-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*bʰlewH-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*bʰluH-yé-ti?
  4. Latinfluō
  5. Latinfluor
  6. Englishfluoro-
  7. Englishuracil
  8. Englishfluorouracil

From fluoro- + uracil.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

fluorouracil. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fluorouracil

MLA

“fluorouracil.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fluorouracil. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fluorouracil,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fluorouracil.

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