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antibiotic

American  
[an-ti-bahy-ot-ik, -bee-, an-tee-, -tahy-] / ˌæn tɪ baɪˈɒt ɪk, -bi-, ˌæn ti-, -taɪ- /

noun

  1. any of a large group of chemical substances, as penicillin or streptomycin, produced by various microorganisms and fungi, having the capacity in dilute solutions to inhibit the growth of or to destroy bacteria and other microorganisms, used chiefly in the treatment of infectious diseases.

adjective

  1. of or involving antibiotics.

antibiotic British  
/ ˌæntɪbaɪˈɒtɪk /

noun

  1. any of various chemical substances, such as penicillin, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline, produced by various microorganisms, esp fungi, or made synthetically and capable of destroying or inhibiting the growth of microorganisms, esp bacteria

"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

adjective

  1. of or relating to antibiotics

"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
antibiotic Scientific  
/ ăn′tĭ-bī-ŏt′ĭk /

  1. A substance, such as penicillin, that is capable of destroying or weakening certain microorganisms, especially bacteria or fungi, that cause infections or infectious diseases. Antibiotics are usually produced by or synthesized from other microorganisms, such as molds. They inhibit pathogens by interfering with essential intracellular processes, including the synthesis of bacterial proteins. Antibiotics do not kill viruses and are not effective in treating viral infections.

  1. Relating to antibiotics.

  2. Relating to antibiosis.

antibiotic Cultural  

  1. A substance that destroys or inhibits the growth of microorganisms and is therefore used to treat some infections. One of the most familiar antibiotics is penicillin.

Discover More

Microorganisms that are initially treatable with antibiotics may evolve resistance as the more susceptible members of the population are killed off. (See resistance to antibiotics.)

Other Word Forms

  • antibiotically adverb

Etymology

Origin of antibiotic

1855–60, for an earlier sense; anti- + biotic

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.

Remarkably, different viruses evolved separate proteins that all block MurJ in the same way, highlighting it as a promising new antibiotic target.

From Science Daily

By analyzing its antibiotic resistance profile, they discovered that this ancient microbe may help scientists better understand how antibiotic resistance develops and spreads naturally.

From Science Daily

The findings, published in Nature Communications, suggest that addressing chronic infection and inflammation could open the door to new treatment strategies, including early antibiotic use and therapies designed to reduce inflammation.

From Science Daily

He visited A&E the following day where he was prescribed antibiotics but the infection spread to his hand.

From BBC

If he had been given antibiotics or sent to the emergency room sooner, he “likely” would not have died,” according to a doctor who specializes in correctional health and reviewed the evidence.

From Salon

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.