antibiotic
antibiotic Lexical Profile
antibiotic Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A medicine, such as penicillin or amoxicillin, that inhibits the growth of or destroys microorganisms, especially bacteria, used to treat or prevent bacterial infections.
"The doctor prescribed a ten-day course of an oral antibiotic to clear up the sinus infection."
• adjective
Relating to, containing, or functioning as a substance that destroys or inhibits the growth of bacteria.
"The veterinarian applied an antibiotic ointment to the dog's paw to prevent infection."
Word Nuance & Usage
In clinical medicine, antibiotics target bacterial infections specifically and are ineffective against viral illnesses such as the common cold or influenza, which require antiviral treatments if any.
• Rhymes for antibiotic
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the 19th century from French antibiotique, combining the Greek prefix anti- ('against') and bios ('life'), before being popularized in its modern medical sense by microbiologist Selman Waksman in 1941.