noun

antibiotic

/ˌæntɪbaɪˈɒtɪk/ · say it: AN·ti·by·AH·tik

a medicine that kills or stops the growth of bacteria

In Medicine & Health

In more detail

1. (noun) a medicine that kills bacteria and is used to treat infections caused by bacteria

2. (adjective) relating to or containing antibiotics

Examples

1. The doctor prescribed an antibiotic to treat my ear infection.
2. Antibiotic resistance is becoming a serious global health problem.

How to use antibiotic

Antibiotics are medications used to treat bacterial infections; they do not work against viral infections. The term is used both as a countable noun (take an antibiotic) and as an adjective (antibiotic resistance). It has become central to modern medicine and public health discussions, particularly regarding resistance and overprescription.

Common phrases

antibiotic resistance
take antibiotics
broad-spectrum antibiotic
prescribe antibiotics
antibiotic course
antibiotic treatment

Synonyms

antimicrobial · antibacterial · germicide · bactericide

Word family

antibiotic (noun/adjective) · antibiotics (plural) · antibiotic-resistant (adjective)

A common mistake

Learners often assume antibiotics work against all infections, including viral ones like colds and flu, which they do not.

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