penicillin

CEFRB1

/ˌpɛn.ɪˈsɪl.ɪn/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    An antibiotic medicine used to treat many bacterial infections.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    A blue mold of the genus Penicillium that produces penicillin.

Examples

  • Penicillin has contributed much to the welfare of mankind.

  • To whom do we owe the discovery of penicillin?

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
3
Parts of speech
1

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meaning

  1. Any of a group of narrow-spectrum antibiotics obtained from Penicillium molds or synthesized, that have a beta-lactam structure and are active against gram-positive bacteria and used in the treatment of various infections and diseases.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The doctor prescribed blank to treat the patient's serious bacterial throat infection.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From translingual Penicillium + -in. Coined by Alexander Fleming after Penicillium notatum (now Penicillium chrysogenum), a fungus from which penicillin is obtained.