gentamicin
[ jen-tuh-mahy-sin ]
/ ˌdʒɛn təˈmaɪ sɪn /
noun Pharmacology.
a highly toxic broad-spectrum antibiotic mixture of related aminoglycoside substances derived from the actinomycete bacterium Micromonospora purpurea, used in its sulfate form in the treatment of severe Gram-negative infections.
Origin of gentamicin
1963; respelling of
gentamycin, probably equivalent to
gent(ian violet) +
-a- (as in
kanamycin) +
-mycin; so called from the color of the source bacterium
Words nearby gentamicin
gens du monde,
genseng,
genseric,
gent,
gent.,
gentamicin,
genteel,
genteelism,
gentian,
gentian blue,
gentian family
British Dictionary definitions for gentamicin
gentamicin
/ (ˌdʒɛntəˈmaɪsɪn) /
noun
a broad-spectrum antibiotic used in the treatment of serious infections
Word Origin for gentamicin
C20: from
genta (of unknown origin) +
-mycin