penicillin

noun

pen·​i·​cil·​lin ˌpe-nə-ˈsi-lən How to pronounce penicillin (audio)
1
: any of several relatively nontoxic antibiotic acids of the general formula C9H11N2O4SR that are produced by molds (genus Penicillium and especially P. notatum or P. chrysogenum) or synthetically and are used especially against gram-positive cocci
also : a mixture of such acids
2
: a salt or ester of a penicillin or a mixture of such salts or esters

Examples of penicillin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Antibiotic resistance Sir Alexander Fleming shared the 1945 Nobel Prize in medicine with Ernst Chain and Sir Edward Florey for the discovery of penicillin and its application in curing bacterial infections. Meg Tirrell, CNN, 13 Oct. 2024 The resulting Nobel Prizes have since been awarded to the discoverers of penicillin, X-rays, and the structure of DNA—and, as of today, to two scientists who, decades ago, laid the foundations for modern artificial intelligence. Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2024 The show playing at the Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theater at The Pershing Square Signature Center through September 28, dramatizes Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin and the personalization of the AMR global crisis. Steve Brozak, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024 By 1944, federal and state (but mostly federal) governments were spending nearly 0.5 percent of GDP on science—a sevenfold increase that was used to develop radar systems, penicillin, and the atomic bomb. Jonathan Gruber, Foreign Affairs, 12 Sep. 2019 See all Example Sentences for penicillin 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'penicillin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Penicillium

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of penicillin was in 1929

Dictionary Entries Near penicillin

Cite this Entry

“Penicillin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penicillin. Accessed 30 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

penicillin

noun
pen·​i·​cil·​lin ˌpen-ə-ˈsil-ən How to pronounce penicillin (audio)
: any of several antibiotics or a mixture of these produced by penicillia or in the laboratory and used especially against round disease-producing bacteria
Etymology

from scientific Latin Penicillium "a genus of molds producing antibiotics," from Latin penicillus, literally, "little tail" — related to pencil

Medical Definition

penicillin

noun
pen·​i·​cil·​lin ˌpen-ə-ˈsil-ən How to pronounce penicillin (audio)
1
: a mixture of relatively nontoxic antibiotic acids produced especially by molds of the genus Penicillium (as P. notatum or P. chrysogenum) and having a powerful bacteriostatic effect against various chiefly gram-positive bacteria (as staphylococci, gonococci, pneumococci, hemolytic streptococci, or some meningococci)
2
: any of numerous often hygroscopic and unstable amido acids (as penicillin G, penicillin O, and penicillin V) that have a structure in which a four-membered lactam ring shares a nitrogen and a carbon atom with a thiazolidine ring to which it is fused and that are components of the penicillin mixture or are produced biosynthetically by the use of different strains of molds or different media or are synthesized chemically
3
: a salt or ester of a penicillin acid or a mixture of such salts or esters

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