biofilm-resistant
|bi-o-film-re-sist-ant|
🇺🇸
/ˌbaɪoʊˈfɪlm rɪˈzɪstənt/
🇬🇧
/ˌbaɪəʊˈfɪlm rɪˈzɪstənt/
resists biofilms
Etymology
'biofilm-resistant' originates from a modern English compound of 'biofilm' and 'resistant', where 'biofilm' combines Greek 'bio-' (from 'bios', meaning 'life') and English 'film' (a thin layer), and 'resistant' comes from Latin 'resistere' meaning 'to stand back, oppose'.
'biofilm' is a 20th-century formation combining 'bio-' + 'film'; 'resistant' derives via Old French from Latin 'resistere' and entered Middle/Modern English as 'resistant', and the compound 'biofilm-resistant' developed in modern technical/medical usage to describe materials resisting biofilms.
Initially, 'resistant' meant 'able to stand back or oppose' in a general sense; in this compound it evolved to the specific meaning 'able to oppose or prevent biofilm formation', a technical/materials-science sense.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not susceptible to the formation or adhesion of microbial biofilms; able to resist colonization or growth of biofilms on a surface (often used for materials or coatings).
The new catheter is biofilm-resistant, reducing the risk of device-related infections.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/23 05:14