antibiotic
adjective · noun
Simple meaning
Any substance that can destroy or inhibit the growth of bacteria and similar microorganisms, generally transported by the lymphatic system.
Pronunciation
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IPA pronunciation (US)
æntibiˈɑtɪk
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
adjective
pharmacology
Of or relating to antibiotic drugs
pharmacology
Of or relating to antibiotics.
noun
pharmacology
Any substance that can destroy or inhibit the growth of bacteria and similar microorganisms, generally transported by the lymphatic system.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C1 · Advanced (estimated)
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
More ways to use antibiotic
- “When antibiotics were first discovered they were called wonder drugs.”noun
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Common Patterns and Combinations
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Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A chemical substance derivable from a mold or bacterium that can kill microorganisms and cure bacterial infections.
An antibiotic drug used as an antineoplastic in chemotherapy.
A form of penicillin that is not rendered inactive by penicillinase.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: any substance that can destroy
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