superbug

American

[soo-per-buhg] / ˈsu pərˌbʌg /

noun

Informal.

a pathogenic bacterium that has developed immunity to antibiotics, or an insect that has developed immunity to insecticides.

superbug British

/ ˈsuːpəˌbʌɡ /

noun

informal an infective microorganism that has become resistant 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

Etymology

Origin of superbug

First reported in 1915–20; super- ( def. ) + bug ¹ ( def. )

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.

"But it can also inhibit the growth of several major antibiotic-resistant 'superbugs' and showed important enzymatic activities with important biotechnological potential."

From Science Daily

As a result, more drug resistant "superbugs" are spreading, and projections suggest that by 2050 they could be responsible for more than 10 million deaths worldwide each year.

From Science Daily

The collaboration will also use AI like a weather forecast to predict how superbugs emerge and spread.

From BBC

“This makes these ‘superbug’ bacteria very hard to treat because they’re resistant to some of the strongest antibiotics we have,” Gohil said.

From Los Angeles Times

Several studies have shown pets and owners can potentially swap pathogens, including the hospital 'superbug' MRSA.

From BBC

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