Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A white, crystalline compound, C9H8O4, derived from salicylic acid and commonly used in tablet form to relieve pain and reduce fever and inflammation. It is also used as an antiplatelet agent.
  • noun A tablet of aspirin.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A white crystalline compound, obtained by the action of acetic anhydrid or acetyl chlorid on salicylic acid; acetylsalicylic acid. It is used in the treatment of chorea.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Pharm.) A white crystalline compound, acetyl salicylic acid (CH3.CO.O.C6H4.CO.OH) widely used as a drug for relief of pain and alleviation of fever. It has analgesic, antipyretic, and antiinflammatory properties, and is one of a class of agents called non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The name was originally a trade name, but has become the preferred name for the substance. It is actually a prodrug, liberating salicylic acid, the ultimate pharmacologically active agent, in the intestines. It is more effective when taken orally than is salicylic acid, because it dissolves more readily.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun uncountable, pharmacology An analgesic drug, acetylsalicylic acid.
  • noun countable A tablet containing this substance.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the acetylated derivative of salicylic acid; used as an analgesic anti-inflammatory drug (trade names Bayer, Empirin, and St. Joseph) usually taken in tablet form; used as an antipyretic; slows clotting of the blood by poisoning platelets

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Originally a trademark.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From the German trademark Aspirin, from Acetylirte Spirsäure ("acetylated spiræic acid"). The trade name Aspirin is a registered trademark in some countries, but has entered the English language in generic usage.

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