broad-spectrum

American  

[brawd-spek-truhm] / ˈbrɔdˈspɛk trəm /

adjective

1. noting an antibiotic, insecticide, or other chemical effective against a wide range of organisms.

2. noting a sunscreen effective in absorbing or blocking ultraviolet (UVA and UVB) radiation.

3. having a wide range of uses.

   The questionnaire is a broad-spectrum tool for diagnosing depression and anxiety.

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broad-spectrum British  

noun

1. (modifier) effective against a wide variety of diseases or microorganisms

   a broad-spectrum antibiotic

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Etymology

Origin of broad-spectrum

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Look for broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher; it should be worn daily and reapplied every couple of hours.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 21, 2024

If an injured soldier can’t be evacuated quickly, medics are “more likely to give broad-spectrum antibiotics” to prevent infection, he says.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 27, 2024

Doctors in Gaza are using whatever is available or can be brought in by international teams, which is typically broad-spectrum antibiotics.

From Salon • Mar. 9, 2024

The fight against C diff takes its toll internally, including a significant disruption of gut microbiota, usually by broad-spectrum antibiotics, leading to loss of colonization resistance to C difficile.

From Science Daily • Dec. 19, 2023

Even the broad-spectrum drugs were losing their effectiveness to a dangerous degree within decades of their introduction.

From The Native Soil by Nourse, Alan Edward