antibiofilm
|an-ti-bi-o-film|
🇺🇸
/ˌæn.tiˈbaɪ.oʊ.fɪlm/
🇬🇧
/ˌæn.tiˈbaɪ.əʊ.fɪlm/
against biofilm / prevents biofilms
Etymology
'antibiofilm' originates as a modern English formation combining the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') with 'biofilm' (from 'bio-' from Greek 'bios' meaning 'life' + 'film'), used to denote substances or properties acting against biofilms.
'antibiofilm' was formed by attaching the productive prefix 'anti-' to the technical noun 'biofilm' (a mid-20th century coinage in microbiology) to create a compound meaning 'against biofilm'; this is a recent, specialized English formation rather than a word with deep historical stages.
Initially a descriptive compound meaning simply 'against biofilm,' it has evolved into a technical term used both as a noun (an antibiofilm agent) and an adjective (antibiofilm coating) in biomedical and materials-science contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an agent, compound, or material that prevents the formation of, disrupts, or removes microbial biofilms.
The team tested a new antibiofilm to prevent bacterial colonization on medical devices.
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Adjective 1
having the property of preventing, inhibiting, or disrupting biofilm formation.
Researchers reported antibiofilm properties of the coating, which reduced surface fouling.
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Last updated: 2025/12/23 05:25