Standard Lemma guide

hydroxyurea

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The hydroxylated derivative of urea, NH2CO-NHOH, used as an antineoplastic drug; any N- or O- derivative of this compound

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, organic-chemistry, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *wed- Proto-Indo-European *-r̥ Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ Proto-Hellenic *údōr Ancient Greek ῡ̆̔́δωρ (hū̆́dōr) Ancient Greek ὑδρο- (hudro-)lbor. French hydro- French -gène French hydrogènebor. English hydrogen Proto-Indo-European *h2eḱ-der.? Ancient Greek ὀξύς (oxús) Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh1- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh1os Proto-Hellenic *génos Ancient Greek γένος (génos) French oxygènebor. English oxygen Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)der. Frenchder. English -yl blend English hydroxyl English hydroxy- Proto-Indo-European *h1wers-der. Ancient Greek οὐρέω (ouréō) Ancient Greek οὖρον (oûron)der. French uréeder. New Latinder. English urea English hydroxyurea From hydroxy- + urea.