ampicillin

American  

[am-puh-sil-in] / ˌæm pəˈsɪl ɪn /

noun

Pharmacology.

1. a broad-spectrum semisynthetic penicillin, C 16 H 19 N 3 O 4 S, effective against certain susceptible Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

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ampicillin British  

/ ˌæmpɪˈsɪlɪn /

noun

1. a semisynthetic penicillin used to treat various infections

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ampicillin Scientific  

/ ăm′pĭ-sĭl′ĭn /

1. An antibiotic derived from penicillin that has a broad antibacterial spectrum of action. It is effective against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria and is used primarily to treat gonorrhea and infections of the respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts.

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Etymology

Origin of ampicillin

First recorded in 1965–70; probably am(inobenzyl)p(en)icillin, an alternate chemical name

Compare meaning

How does ampicillin compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• ampicillin vs. penicillin

Example Sentences

In some samples, up to 20% of the E. coli were resistant to the frontline antibiotic drug ampicillin.

From Salon • Jul. 19, 2023

Samples were plated on nutrient agar plates, some of which were supplemented with the antibiotic ampicillin.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

The strain typically resists four major antibiotics: ampicillin, streptomycin, sulfisoxazole and tetracycline.

From New York Times • Aug. 4, 2019

Other drugs that the pathogen has overcome in the past include ampicillin, streptomycin and tetracycline.

From Scientific American • May 18, 2015

That’s bad news because most Shigella in the U.S. is already resistant to the antibiotics ampicillin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.

From MSNBC • Apr. 7, 2015

Related Words

• penicillin