streptomycin

noun

strep·​to·​my·​cin ˌstrep-tə-ˈmī-sᵊn 

: an antibiotic organic base C₂₁H₃₉N₇O₁₂ that is produced by a soil actinomycete (Streptomyces griseus), is active against many bacteria, and is used especially in the treatment of infections (such as tuberculosis) by gram-negative bacteria

Examples of streptomycin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And streptomycin, developed in 1943, stopped TB cold in most patients. —Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2022

Life-threatening infection led to the removal of a kidney and his treatment with what was then an experimental antibiotic, streptomycin, initially used to treat tuberculosis. —Washington Post, 5 Dec. 2021

Laboratory testing found that 20 of these cases were resistant to common antibiotics such as chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 25 Aug. 2021

Most of our antibiotic medicines were discovered in such bacteria; streptomycin, for example, unsurprisingly hails from Streptomyces. —Jennifer Frazer, Scientific American, 21 Nov. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for streptomycin

• bleomycin
• clindamycin
• kanamycin
• lincomycin
• mitomycin
• neomycin
• puromycin
• rapamycin
• spiegeleisen
• terramycin
• tobramycin
• vancomycin

Kids Definition

streptomycin

noun

strep·​to·​my·​cin ˌstrep-tə-ˈmīs-ᵊn 

: an antibiotic produced by a soil streptomyces and used especially in the treatment of some infections (as tuberculosis) caused by bacteria

Medical Definition

streptomycin

noun

strep·​to·​my·​cin -ˈmīs-ᵊn 

: an antibiotic organic base C₂₁H₃₉N₇O₁₂ that is produced by a soil actinomycete of the genus Streptomyces (S. griseus), is active against bacteria, and is used especially in the treatment of infections (as tuberculosis) by gram-negative bacteria