cephalosporin

[ sef-uh-loh-spawr-in, -spohr- ]
/ ˌsɛf ə loʊˈspɔr ɪn, -ˈspoʊr- /

noun Pharmacology.

any of a group of widely used broad-spectrum antibiotics, originally isolated as a product of fermentation from the fungus Cephalosporium acremonium.

Origin of cephalosporin

1950–55; < New Latin Cephalospor(ium) the genus (see cephalo-, -spore, -ium) + -in2

Words nearby cephalosporin

cephalon, cephalonia, cephalopathy, cephalopelvic, cephalopod, cephalosporin, cephalosporinase, cephalostat, cephalothoracic, cephalothorax, cephalous

British Dictionary definitions for cephalosporin

cephalosporin
/ (ˌsɛfələʊˈspɔːrɪn) /

noun

any of a group of broad-spectrum antibiotics obtained from fungi of the genus Cephalosporium

Medical definitions for cephalosporin

cephalosporin
[ sĕf-ə-lə-spôr′ĭn ]

n.

Any of various broad-spectrum antibiotics, closely related to the penicillins, that were originally derived from the fungus Cephalosporium acremonium and are used to treat bacterial infections.