lactam

noun

lac·​tam ˈlak-ˌtam How to pronounce lactam (audio)
: any of a class of amides of amino carboxylic acids that are formed by the loss of a molecule of water from the amino and carboxyl groups, that are characterized by the carbonyl-imido group −CONH− in a ring, and that include many antibiotics compare lactim, lactone

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Cite this Entry

“Lactam.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/lactam. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.

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