What does antibiotic mean?

Definitions for antibiotic
ˌæn tɪ baɪˈɒt ɪk, -bi-, ˌæn ti-, -taɪ-an·tibi·ot·ic

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word antibiotic.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. antibiotic, antibiotic drugadjective

    a chemical substance derivable from a mold or bacterium that can kill microorganisms and cure bacterial infections

    "when antibiotics were first discovered they were called wonder drugs"

  2. antibioticadjective

    of or relating to antibiotic drugs

GCIDE

  1. antibioticnoun

    any chemical substance having therapeutically useful antibacterial or antifungal activity; -- used commonly but loosely for synthetic as well as natural antimicrobial agents.

  2. antibioticadjective

    having antimicrobial activity; capable of killing microbes.

Wiktionary

  1. antibioticnoun

    Any substance that can destroy or inhibit the growth of bacteria and similar microorganisms.

  2. antibioticadjective

    Of or relating to antibiotics.

  3. Etymology: From antibiotique, coined in 1889 by P. Vuillemin from anti- and biotique, from βιωτικός (from βίος, from gʷeih₃w-), perhaps influenced by ἀντίϐιος

ChatGPT

  1. antibiotic

    An antibiotic is a type of medicine that inhibits the growth of or destroys microorganisms, particularly bacteria. It is used to prevent and treat infections caused by bacteria by killing them or inhibiting their replication. Antibiotics are not effective against viruses.

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of antibiotic in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of antibiotic in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of antibiotic in a Sentence

  1. Amesh Adalja:

    The risk-benefit calculation [of many medical procedures] could be altered if the rise in antibiotic resistance continues.

  2. Robin Patel:

    If you don’t need an antibiotic, there are definite downsides to taking one.

  3. Jeremy Snyder:

    Previous research has shown that crowdfunding is being used for unproven stem cell interventions and alternative cancer interventions. This paper builds on that research by confirming the existence these areas of concern and also demonstrating that this problematic fundraising is going on for HBOT for brain injury and antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease, the public should know that their money may be wasted on ineffective treatments or even used for dangerous interventions that could harm the health of those they are seeking to help. If their aim is to help others, there are a variety of well run, science-based charities that very effectively help those in medical need.

  4. Michael Weinstein:

    The record of people taking pills for every disease is bad, i know that personally when I've had to take an antibiotic for 10 days, I'm sure I'm taking it the way I'm supposed to be, and yet I wind up with a bunch of pills in the bottle at the end.

  5. Terry Fleck:

    Antibiotic resistance is a serious public health concern that should be addressed both in human and animal medicine, but just as with you or me, when animals get sick with a bacterial infection, treating them with No Antibiotics Ever is the ethical thing to do. Farmers work closely with veterinarians to responsibly administer antibiotics in the care for their animals, benefiting each of us by making food safer and more affordable.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

antibiotic#10000#15608#100000

Translations for antibiotic

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"antibiotic." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 22 Feb. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/antibiotic>.

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