antibiotics
|an-ti-bi-ot-ics|
🇺🇸
/ˌæn.ti.baɪˈɑː.tɪks/
🇬🇧
/ˌæn.ti.baɪˈɒt.ɪks/
(antibiotic)
bacteria-killing
Etymology
'antibiotic' originates from Greek elements: 'anti-' (meaning 'against') + 'biotic' from Greek 'bios' meaning 'life'.
'antibiotic' was coined in the early 20th century (derived from 'antibiosis' in the late 19th century) and was popularized as a noun for microbe-produced medicines in the 1940s (e.g., by Selman Waksman).
Initially it carried the general sense 'against life' (opposing living organisms); over time it became specialized to mean 'a substance that kills or inhibits bacteria (used as medicine)'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'antibiotic': chemical substances that kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria, used to treat bacterial infections.
The doctor prescribed antibiotics for her infection.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/27 23:55