# paclitaxel

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌpak.lɪˈtak.sɛl/ · frequency rank #78,910

## Definitions
1. A taxane antineoplastic drug C₄₇H₅₁NO₁₄ originally isolated from the bark of the Pacific yew, Taxus brevifolia, but now typically derived as a semisynthetic product of the English yew; it interferes with microtubule function and inhibits cell division, and is used in the treatment of some cancers, especially those of the breast and ovary.

## Etymology
From Pac(ific yew) + Latin (brevifo)li(a) + -taxel (“alteration of taxol”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/paclitaxel