laetrile

L1A1E1T1R1I1L1E1

noun

A drug, derived from the amygdalin of apricot kernels, once thought capable of destroying cancer cells by the release of cyanide but later banned in the United States by the FDA.

Similar
vitamin B17
OriginAncient Greek ἀμυγδάλη →
UncommonScrabble 8
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Meanings

nounlaetrile (countable and uncountable, plural laetriles)

plural laetriles

  1. countableuncountableA drug, derived from the amygdalin of apricot kernels, once thought capable of destroying cancer cells by the release of cyanide but later banned in the United States by the FDA.

    Synonyms: vitamin B17

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA drug, derived from the amygdalin of apricot kernels, once thought capable of destroying cancer cells by the release of cyanide but later banned in the United States by the FDA.

Similar
vitamin B17

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἀμυγδάλη“almond”
  2. Englishlaetrile

A contraction of l-mandelonitrile, from Ancient Greek ἀμυγδάλη (amugdálē, “almond”) + -o- + nitrile.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

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Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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