kanamycin

[ kan-uh-mahy-sin ]

noun

, Pharmacology.

1. a broad-spectrum aminoglycoside antibiotic, C 18 H 35 N 3 O 10 , isolated from the Japanese soil bacterium Streptomyces kanamyceticus and used in the treatment of infections, especially those caused by Gram-negative bacilli.

kanamycin

/ ˌkænəˈmaɪsɪn /

noun

1. an aminoglycoside antibiotic obtained from the soil bacterium Streptomyces kanamyceticus, used in the treatment of various infections, esp those caused by Gram-negative bacteria. Formula: C 18 H 36 N 4 O 11

Word History and Origins

Origin of kanamycin¹

First recorded in 1955–60; from New Latin kana(mycēticus), the specific epithet of the genus, equivalent to Japanese kana- “golden,” from kane “gold” (from the color of the bacterial colonies) + New Latin myc(ēticus) “pertaining to a mushroom” + English -in; streptomyces ( def ), myco- ( def ), -in ²( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of kanamycin¹

C20: from New Latin kanamyceticus