vancomycin

[ vang-kuh-mahy-sin, van- ]

noun

, Pharmacology.

1. a bactericidal antibiotic, C 66 H 75 ClN 9 O 24 , produced by Streptomyces orientalis, used in the treatment of antibiotic-associated colitis and endocarditis.

vancomycin

/ ˌvænkəʊˈmaɪsɪn /

noun

1. an antibiotic effective against most Gram-positive organisms. It is given by intravenous infusions for serious infections that are resistant to other antibiotics

Word History and Origins

Origin of vancomycin¹

First recorded in 1956; vanco- (of unexplained origin) + -mycin