sulfa drug

noun

: any of various synthetic organic bacteria-inhibiting drugs that are sulfonamides derived especially from sulfanilamide

Examples of sulfa drug in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Indeed, common hospital bacteria--including the staphylococci and the enterococci--have learned to laugh at a long list of once-reliable later-generation antibiotics, including methicillin, erythromycin, tetracycline, streptomycin, and the sulfa drugs. Mark Caldwell, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019 The most common medications people experience allergies to include penicillin, antibiotics, sulfa drugs, anticonvulsants, and aspirin, ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma,and Immunology. Lisa Mulcahy, Men's Health, 29 Aug. 2023 This is also true of multiple oral antibiotics in the class known as sulfa drugs. Claudia Wallis, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2020 Cons: Can be tough to insert; not for those allergic to sulfa drugs or polyurethane. The Editors, Marie Claire, 14 June 2019 The strongest connection between antibiotics and kidney stones was found in the category called sulfa drugs, which includes Bactrim. Tom Avril, Philly.com, 10 May 2018 The drugs ranged from broad-spectrum penicillins, which increased the risk by 27 percent, to sulfa drugs, which were associated with more than double the risk. Nicholas Bakalar, New York Times, 10 May 2018 Patients who had taken sulfa drugs were more than twice as likely to develop kidney stones three to 12 months afterward than people who had not taken the medicines, the researchers found. Tom Avril, Philly.com, 10 May 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sulfa drug.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sulfa drug was in 1940

Dictionary Entries Near sulfa drug

Cite this Entry

“Sulfa drug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sulfa%20drug. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

sulfa drug

noun
: any of various synthetic drugs that stop or slow the growth of bacteria and are derived especially from sulfanilamide

Medical Definition

sulfa drug

noun
: any of various synthetic organic bacteria-inhibiting drugs that are sulfonamides closely related chemically to sulfanilamide

called also sulfa

More from Merriam-Webster on sulfa drug

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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