Oxford unit

noun

: an international unit of penicillin equivalent to 0.606 micrograms of the crystalline compound

Word History

Etymology

from Oxford University, Oxford, England, where it was first adopted

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!