antibiotic

American  

[an-ti-bahy-ot-ik, -bee-, an-tee-, -tahy-] / ˌæn tɪ baɪˈɒt ɪk, -bi-, ˌæn ti-, -taɪ- /

noun

• antibiotics
  plural

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.

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adjective

1. of or involving antibiotics.

antibiotic British  

/ 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

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adjective

1. of or relating to antibiotics

antibiotic Scientific  

/ ăn′tĭ-bī-ŏt′ĭk /

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.

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1. Relating to antibiotics.

2. Relating to antibiosis.

antibiotic Cultural  

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.

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Discover More

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

Derived Forms

• antibiotically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• antibiotics
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of antibiotic

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

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Explanation

An antibiotic is a substance used to kill bacteria. If you're coughing up green stuff, the doctor might give you an antibiotic to fight the infection. Since the prefix anti- means fighting, opposing, or killing, and bios is the Greek word for "life," antibiotic literally means life-killing. But doctors prescribe them primarily to kill the bacteria responsible for infections in the body. (A virus, on the other hand, cannot be treated with an antibiotic, so doctors are always making a distinction between a virus and a bacterial infection.) You can also use antibiotic as an adjective. Some plants have natural antibiotic effects when eaten.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

antibiotic antibiotics

The enzyme can digest particular polyesters and biodegradable plastics, but it has another unexpected ability: it can also break down penicillin, suggesting a possible connection to antibiotic resistance.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

These enzymes are well known for their role in antibiotic resistance.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

"You end up hunting for a decent length of antibiotic courses that will give you some relief," she said.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

The antibiotic is among those used to treat plague in countries that see cases each year, helping to contain outbreaks.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

In our antibiotic era, how can we imagine what it means to have entire ways of life hiss away like steam?

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Unlike many antibiotics, which can act against a broad range of bacteria, phages typically target particular bacterial species or even individual strains.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026

They return because parents cannot afford proper nutrition or vitamins or antibiotics.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

Some bacteria produce beta-lactamases that disable antibiotics such as penicillin by breaking open a critical part of their chemical structure, known as the beta-lactam ring.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

This includes new antibiotics and antivirals, as well as antifungals—anti-anything that could be used against us.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

The antibiotics that the doctor prescribed for me healed the terrible case of tonsillitis I had arrived with.

From "Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina" by Michaela DePrince

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Related Words

• penicillin

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