semisynthetic

[sem-ee-sin-thet-ik, sem-ahy-]

adjective

Chemistry.

1. derived synthetically from one or more substances of natural origin.

Word History and Origins

Origin of semisynthetic¹

First recorded in 1935–40; semi- + synthetic

Example Sentences

He inserted them into the bacterium Escherichia coli to create a reproducing, semisynthetic organism with a six-letter genetic alphabet.

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The second issue is potency: The synthetic drugs bind to receptors much more tightly than an opium-derived substance such as heroin or a semisynthetic opioid like oxycodone, so the antidote has difficulty reaching its destination.

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A semisynthetic organism engineered for the stable expansion of the genetic alphabet.

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Virtually all antibiotics today are semisynthetic, meaning they are chemically altered to increase the number of infections that can be treated or to reduce side effects.

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Their semisynthetic organism was thus able to keep X and Y in its genome after dividing 60 times, leading the researchers to believe it can hold on to the base pair indefinitely.

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