polymyxin

American

[pol-ee-mik-sin] / ˌpɒl iˈmɪk sɪn /

noun

Pharmacology.

any of various polypeptide antibiotics derived from Bacillus polymyxa.

polymyxin British

/ ˌpɒlɪˈmɪksɪn /

noun

any of several polypeptide antibiotics active against Gram-negative bacteria, obtained from the soil bacterium Bacillus polymyxa

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of polymyxin

1945–50; < New Latin polymyx ( a ) specific epithet (< Greek poly- poly- + mýxa mucus, slime) + -in ²

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A plastic adhesive bandage impregnated with streptomycin, polymyxin and bacitracin is being test-marketed by Multibiotics Corp. of Baltimore.

From Time Magazine Archive

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023