antibiotic

[an-ti-bahy-ot-ik, -bee-, an-tee-, -tahy-]

noun

1. any of a large group of chemical substances, as penicillin or streptomycin, produced by various microorganisms and fungi, having the capacity in dilute solutions to inhibit the growth of or to destroy bacteria and other microorganisms, used chiefly in the treatment of infectious diseases.

adjective

1. of or involving antibiotics.

antibiotic

/ ˌæntɪbaɪˈɒtɪk /

noun

1. any of various chemical substances, such as penicillin, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline, produced by various microorganisms, esp fungi, or made synthetically and capable of destroying or inhibiting the growth of microorganisms, esp bacteria

adjective

1. of or relating to antibiotics

antibiotic

1. A substance, such as penicillin, that is capable of destroying or weakening certain microorganisms, especially bacteria or fungi, that cause infections or infectious diseases. Antibiotics are usually produced by or synthesized from other microorganisms, such as molds. They inhibit pathogens by interfering with essential intracellular processes, including the synthesis of bacterial proteins. Antibiotics do not kill viruses and are not effective in treating viral infections.

1. Relating to antibiotics.

2. Relating to antibiosis.

antibiotic

1. A substance that destroys or inhibits the growth of microorganisms and is therefore used to treat some infections. One of the most familiar antibiotics is penicillin.

Microorganisms that are initially treatable with antibiotics may evolve resistance as the more susceptible members of the population are killed off. (See resistance to antibiotics.)

Other Word Forms

• antibiotically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of antibiotic¹

1855–60, for an earlier sense; anti- + biotic

Example Sentences

Greer stressed the U.S. wasn’t looking to decouple with China but rather better balance trade and reduce U.S. dependence on the country for critical things—ranging from antibiotics to critical minerals.

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"If you see spots at the back of your throat, that's definitely a sign that you've got strep throat and you might need some antibiotics," she adds.

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“This makes these ‘superbug’ bacteria very hard to treat because they’re resistant to some of the strongest antibiotics we have,” Gohil said.

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So, Gomez sent them home with an antibiotic and an appetite stimulant.

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“I would take antibiotics, I would take ibuprofen, thinking it’s this, thinking it’s that, not even entertaining the fact that it could be cancer or even leukemia.”

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Related Words

• penicillin