Definition of Penicillin

1. Noun. Any of various antibiotics obtained from Penicillium molds (or produced synthetically) and used in the treatment of various infections and diseases.


Definition of Penicillin

1. Noun. (pharmaceutical drug) Any of a group of broad-spectrum antibiotics obtained from ''Penicillium'' molds or synthesized; they have a beta-lactam structure; most are active against gram-positive bacteria and used in the treatment of various infections and diseases. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Penicillin

1. [n -S]

Medical Definition of Penicillin

1. Probably the best known of the antibiotics, derived from the mould Penicillium notatum. It blocks the cross linking reaction in peptidoglycan synthesis and therefore destroys the bacterial cell wall making the bacterium very susceptible to damage. This entry appears with permission from the Dictionary of Cell and Molecular Biology (11 Mar 2008)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Penicillin

peniaphobia
penible
peniche
penicil
penicillamine
penicillamines
penicillanate
penicillanic
penicillanic acid
penicillary
penicillate
penicillia
penicillic acid
penicilliform
penicillin
penicillin-resistant
penicillin-resistant bacteria
penicillin B
penicillin F
penicillin G
penicillin G benzathine
penicillin G hydrabamine
penicillin G procaine
penicillin G sodium
penicillin N
penicillin O
penicillin V
penicillin V benzathine

Literary usage of Penicillin

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Journal of Comparative Pathology and Therapeutics (1888)
"The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of penicillin for strain 8.13 was ... Experimental Penicillin Therapy Details of the goats which were treated are ..."

2. The Oxford Medicine by Henry Asbury Christian, James Mackenzie (1920)
"There appears to be a distinct correlation between the sensitivity of bacteria to penicillin in vitro and in vivo. However, it is uncertain what ..."

3. Management & Therapy of Sickle Cell Disease edited by Clarice D. Reid, Samuel Charace, Bertram Lubin (1997)
"For patients who are allergic to penicillin, erythromycin ethyl succi- nate (20 mg/kg) ... Penicillin may be prescribed in either liquid or tablet form; ..."

4. Code of Federal Regulations by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Staff (2005)
"As penicillin G pro- caine; not for use in laying chickens; prepare fresh ... When reconstituted, each milliliter contains penicillin G potassium equivalent ..."

5. Pathological Mycology: An Enquiry Into the Etiology of Infective Diseases by German Sims Woodhead, Arthur W. Hare (1885)
"Growth of Bacterium termo and Penicillin in nutrient jelly. a. Liquefied portion of jelly with opalescent green tinge, due to presence of B. termo. b. ..."

Other Resources:

Search for Penicillin on Dictionary.com!Search for Penicillin on Thesaurus.com!Search for Penicillin on Google!Search for Penicillin on Wikipedia!