nonyl (the radical C9H19) + oxy- + phenol + 9 (from the fact that the compounds it contains have an average of nine ethylene oxide groups per molecule)
First Known Use
1967, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
nonoxynol-9
noun
no·nox·y·nol-9 nä-ˈnäk-sə-ˌnōl-ˈnīn -ˌnȯl-
: a spermicide used in contraceptive products that consists of a mixture of compounds having the general formula C15H23(OCH2CH2)nOH with an average of nine ethylene oxide groups per molecule