noun · 2 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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/ˌɹaɪ.bəˈvaɪ.ɹɪn/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:R IH0 B AE1 V IH0 R IH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A synthetic analog of guanosine with chemical formula C8H12N4O5 that inhibits viral nucleic acid synthesis and is used as a broad-spectrum antiviral drug especially in the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus infection and chronic hepatitis C.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: medicine, pharmacology, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
an inhaled antiviral agent (trade name Virazole) that may be used to treat serious virus infections
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Virazole
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: antiviral, antiviral agent, antiviral drug
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English rib(oside) English -a- English -vir- Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos Proto-Italic *-īnos Latin -īnusder. Old French -inbor. Middle English -in English -ineclip. English -in English ribavirin From rib(oside) + -a- + -vir- (“antiviral”) + -in.
