Antibiotic

//ˌæn.taɪ.baɪˈɑ.tɪk// adj, noun

adj, noun ·Moderate ·High school level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Any substance that can destroy or inhibit the growth of bacteria and similar microorganisms, generally transported by the lymphatic system.

    "On a summer visit back to the farm here where I grew up, I think I figured out the central problem with modern industrial agriculture. It’s not just that it produces unhealthy food, mishandles waste and overuses antibiotics in ways that harm us all."

  2. 2
    a chemical substance derivable from a mold or bacterium that can kill microorganisms and cure bacterial infections wordnet
Adjective
  1. 1
    Of or relating to antibiotics.
  2. 2
    Of or relating to the theory that extraterrestrial life does not exist. obsolete
Adjective
  1. 1
    of or relating to antibiotic drugs wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
acaricideactinomycinalexipharmicamphotericinantacidanthelmintic

Example

More examples

"Keep taking this antibiotic until it is gone."

Etymology

Borrowed from French antibiotique; by surface analysis, anti- + -biotic.

Related phrases

broad-spectrum antibiotic

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.