nonoxynol-9

[ no-nok-suh-nawl-nahyn, -nol- ]

noun

, Pharmacology.

1. the active ingredient of spermicides.

Word History and Origins

Origin of nonoxynol-9¹

By rearrangement of parts of its chemical name

Example Sentences

Laboratory tests show that nonoxynol-9, the active ingredient in many U.S. spermicides, can prevent the virus from reproducing.

From Time Magazine Archive

Contrary to expectations, a separate report shows that nonoxynol-9 does nothing to kill off gonorrhea bacteria.

From Time Magazine Archive

But don't count on help from the spermicide nonoxynol-9.

From Time Magazine Archive