beta-lactam

be·ta–lac·tam

noun

Definition of BETA-LACTAM

: any of a large class of natural and semisynthetic antibiotics (as the penicillins and cephalosporins) with a lactam ring

Variants of BETA-LACTAM

be·ta–lac·tam or β–lactam \ˌbāt-ə-ˈlak-ˌtam, chiefly British ˌbē-tə-\