penicillin
|pen-ni-cil-lin|
/ˌpɛnɪˈsɪlɪn/
antibiotic from Penicillium fungus
Etymology
'penicillin' originates from New Latin, specifically the word 'Penicillium', where the Latin 'penicillus' meant 'little tail' or 'brush'.
'penicillin' was coined in the early 20th century (coined by Alexander Fleming after his discovery in 1928) from the name of the fungus 'Penicillium' combined with the English chemical suffix '-in', eventually becoming the modern English word 'penicillin'.
Initially it meant 'a substance obtained from the fungus Penicillium'; over time it evolved to mean 'a class of antibiotics and, more generally, any therapeutic drug of that class'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
any of a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi, used to treat bacterial infections.
Penicillin is effective against many gram-positive bacteria.
Synonyms
Noun 2
specifically, the first antibiotic discovered (e.g., penicillin G) or the drug used to treat infections; often used to refer to particular penicillin preparations.
Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/13 17:33