Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

anisomycin

noun
an·​iso·​my·​cin | \ ¦a-ˌnī-sə-¦mī-sᵊn, a-¦nī-\

Definition of anisomycin

: a white crystalline antibiotic C14H19NO4 obtained from a soil streptomycete (Streptomyces griseolus) that inhibits protein synthesis, is effective against certain pathogenic protozoans and fungi, and is used especially in laboratory research The application of various inhibitors of protein synthesis such as anisomycin and cycloheximide disrupts long-term memory formation, while it leaves short-term memory almost intact.— Satoru Otani and Yehezkel Ben-Ari, International Review of Neurobiology, Volume 35, 1993

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

First Known Use of anisomycin

1954, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for anisomycin

probably from anisoyl, alternate name for methoxybenzoyl, a chemical component of the antibiotic (from anis(ic acid) + -oyl, in benzoyl) + -mycin

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about anisomycin

Share anisomycin

Statistics for anisomycin

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for anisomycin

The first known use of anisomycin was in 1954

See more words from the same year

Comments on anisomycin

What made you want to look up anisomycin? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

gargantuan

tremendous in size, volume, or degree

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Homophone Quiz

  • three-bears-two-of-them-look-like-theyre-whispering-to-a-third-bear-who-looks-chuffed-to-be-the-center-of-attention
  • In order to judge how people felt, the senator's office hired a firm to take a ______.
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Bee Cubed

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games