Definitions, Translations, and Word of the Day
Definition of "antibiotic" []
- A substance, such as penicillin or streptomycin, produced by or derived from certain fungi, bacteria, and other organisms, that can destroy or inhibit the growth of other microorganisms. Antibiotics are widely used in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. (noun)
- Of or relating to antibiotics. (adjective)
- Of or relating to antibiosis. (adjective)
- Destroying life or preventing the inception or continuance of life. (adjective)
American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Use "antibiotic" in a sentence
- "The company's news, better than the market expected, was overshadowed by Smithfield's part in another story: The Russian Federation banned imports of pork from more U.S. plants because of what it called antibiotic contamination."
- "Perhaps the most well known antibiotic is penicillin."
- "When the antibiotic is found to have a fatal side effect, the company buries victims in a mass grave outside of town and kills others who know of the problem."