penicillin
pronunciation
How to pronounce penicillin in British English:
UK [ˌpenɪˈsɪlɪn]
How to pronounce penicillin in American English:
US [ˌpenɪˈsɪlɪn]
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- Noun:
- any of various antibiotics obtained from penicillium molds (or produced synthetically) and used in the treatment of various infections and diseases
Word Origin
- penicillin
- penicillin: see pencil
- penicillin (n.)
- 1929, coined in English by Alexander Fleming (1881-1955), who first recognized its antibiotic properties, from Modern Latin Penicillium notatum (1867), the name of the mould from which it was first obtained, from Latin penicillus "paintbrush" (see pencil (n.)), in reference to the shape of the mould cells.
Example
- 1. Penicillin was being mass produced and advertised by 1944 .
- 2. Laboratory technician examining flasks of penicillin culture .
- 3. Eg. penicillin cured him of pneumonia .
- 4. First discovered in the lab in 1928 , penicillin was being mass produced and advertised by 1944 .
- 5. Most bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics such as penicillin , discovered decades ago .